NC State women’s basketball coach responds to NCAA removing referee during tournament game
N.C. State women’s basketball coach Wes Moore holds no ill will toward the NCAA game official who was removed from the Wolfpack’s NCAA Tournament win over Chattanooga on Saturday.
Tommi Paris left the women’s NCAA Tournament first-round game at Reynolds Coliseum after the NCAA discovered a conflict of interest. Moore said Sunday he feels bad for Paris, who he recruited when she was a high school player.
“On the sideline sometime, I did say something about, ‘How in the world are you doing this game?’” Moore said. “I hope that had nothing to do with it because, again, I was just bantering back and forth. I would never doubt her integrity and those sorts of things.”
He said when the NCAA found out Paris had a degree from Chattanooga that “maybe made it a little bit stickier.”
Moore didn’t realize an officiating change occurred until he saw Angelica Suffren, the replacement official, stretching and was notified. Suffren worked Saturday’s previous game between Tennessee and Green Bay.
“I kind of hate that it happened because, again, I would never question Tommi Paris’ integrity,” Moore said.
Paris was part of a three-person officiating crew and worked the first half of the game with Edward Sidlasky and Karen Preato.
The Wolfpack defeated the Mocs, 64-45, to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Paris also officiated Chattanooga’s 59-53 win against Mississippi State on Dec. 3. The Mocs were called for 15 personal fouls and the Bulldogs were called for 14. Both teams received 12 free throw attempts.
Rick Nixon, NCAA associate director of media coordination, said officials are required to disclose their school affiliations when being considered for working championships.
“In this instance, that wasn’t disclosed,” Nixon told the News & Observer. “It’s important to note that conferences don’t do this during the regular season. They don’t have the same conflict restrictions.”
N.C. State and Tennessee tip off at 4 p.m. Monday for a spot in the Sweet 16.
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