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Pac-12 commissions review of tournament officiating

Coordinator Ed Rush resigned after saying he told Pac-12 officials he would reward them for giving Arizona coach Sean Miller a technical foul. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Ed Rush resigned after saying he told Pac-12 officials he would reward them for giving Arizona coach Sean Miller a technical foul. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Pac-12 announced Tuesday the commission of an independent review of the officiating bounty dispute that came to light during the tournament men's basketball tournament last March.

The commission will review what happened after Pac-12 head of officiating Ed Rush reportedly offered money or a vacation to any referee who gave Arizona coach Sean Miller a technical foul or ejected him from a game. Miller was assessed a technical foul late against UCLA, a conference tournament semifinal game the Wildcats eventually lost by two points.

Rush said the comments were made "in jest." Scott backed Rush and said he did not believe he should be fired. Rush resigned on Thursday.

"After considering the matter, Commissioner Scott and I agree that an independent review is important to maintain the confidence of our members, and of the public, in the integrity of our competition," Pac-12 CEO Group Chair Edward J. Ray said. "While the review will focus primarily on the tournament, we expect that it will inform a broader examination of our men's basketball officiating and help us provide the best possible program."

Scott said the conference's integrity is one of its utmost concerns.

"Given the conflicting media reports, it is important that we do whatever we can to understand all the facts, not only to resolve the questions about officiating during the tournament but also to learn lessons that will help us make changes and improvements to our overall program," he said.