In the first round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, NC State secured a decisive victory over Chattanooga with a final score of 64-45.
The Wolfpack seized the lead early in the first quarter and maintained their advantage throughout the game, leading to a somewhat subdued contest devoid of the typical March Madness excitement. However, an unexpected incident involving a referee added an unusual twist to the proceedings.
Referee Tommi Paris was withdrawn from the game at halftime after it was discovered that she had obtained a master’s degree from Chattanooga. This revelation prompted her replacement by Angelica Suffren, who had officiated the preceding game at the venue. The sudden change caught Chattanooga coach Shawn Poppie off guard, leaving him surprised and uncertain about the reasons behind the decision.
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During the second half, Suffren assessed Poppie with a technical foul, adding another unexpected turn to the game.
Interestingly, Paris’s departure wasn’t the only referee-related incident during Saturday’s women’s tournament games. In USC’s matchup against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, referee Michael Price suffered a hamstring injury during the second quarter, forcing him to leave the court. He was replaced by standby referee Demoya Pugh, highlighting the unpredictable nature of tournament play.
