NCAA: Referee change during NC State vs. Chattanooga was due to 'background conflict'

At halftime of Saturday’s NCAA Women’s Tournament game between NC State and Chattanooga, there was a major change. A new official took the floor, and a pool report afterward revealed why.

Tommi Paris started the game in the Umpire 2 spot, but Angelica Suffren came out to call the second half. The reason, according to the NCAA, is because of a “background conflict” with Paris. She received her master’s degree from Chattanooga, according to Power Plays’ Lindsay Gibbs. That meant Paris shouldn’t have worked the game.

As for why the standby official wasn’t called in, the NCAA said it was to ensure there was still a full crew.

Just absolutely wild that the NCAA didn’t catch that one of the officials was an alum of the school playing in the game until after it began. It’s on her LinkedIn!!

Also, why didn’t she recuse herself?

Here’s the full statement from the NCAA: pic.twitter.com/2xxLG0ivTq

— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) March 23, 2024

“There was a switch of game officials at halftime of the Chattanooga-NC State first-round game because it was learned after the game had started that Umpire 2 Tommi Paris had a background conflict that, if known, would prevent her from working that assigned game,” the statement read. “The decision was made to move Angelica Suffren, who had worked the first game of the session, into the Umpire 2 position because it provided the most on-court experience and allowed the game to maintain a full officiating crew, plus standby.”

NC State held a 26-17 lead at the time of the officiating switch, and the Wolfpack continued to lead into the second half. They eventually came away with the 64-45 victory to advance to the second round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament, where they’ll take on Tennessee on Monday.

Aziaha James led NC State in scoring with 19 points while Saniya Rivers also added 16 to the effort. NC State didn’t have its best day from the field, making just 18 of 54 shots, but a 20-for-25 showing from the free throw line helped make the difference and take the Wolfpack into the Round of 32.

This story will be updated.