Sports Referee Bert Smith’s fall in men’s NCAA Tournament game didn’t kill him. It saved his life. April 9, 2021Gregg Doyel, Indianapolis StarComments Off on Referee Bert Smith’s fall in men’s NCAA Tournament game didn’t kill him. It saved his life. When NCAA men's basketball referee Bert Smith collapsed during the Gonzaga-USC game, some thought he had died. Turns out, that fall saved his life.