Big Sky Conference suspends women’s basketball officials

BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Big Sky Conference has suspended three women’s basketball officials for one game for misapplying a rule during Northern Arizona’s game at Montana State on Jan. 2.

Commissioner Doug Fullerton said Monday the conference suspended Lorena Ahumada, Sydney Mott and Josh Rombach for clearing the team fouls at the end of regulation.

The women’s college game moved to four quarters this season. Teams shoot two free throws after the fifth foul in each quarter and the team fouls are cleared at the end of each quarter. However, each overtime period is an extension of the fourth quarter and the team fouls should not have been reset.

During the extra period, Northern Arizona was fouled twice and Montana State seven times.

Montana State had rallied from 15 points down with three minutes to play in regulation, sent the game into overtime tied at 71 and won 86-77.