During the women’s NCAA Tournament at the Moda Center in Portland, a discrepancy in the 3-point line distance at each end of the court was discovered after four games over two days. This issue went unnoticed until the Elite Eight matchup between Texas and North Carolina State, where the coaches were informed of the problem. Despite the mismatched 3-point lines, the teams decided to play as scheduled rather than delay the game. North Carolina State went on to beat Texas 76-66 and advance to the Final Four.
The NCAA’s vice president of women’s basketball, Lynn Holzman, explained that the discrepancy in the 3-point lines was due to an error by the NCAA’s vendor. While the issue was addressed after the Texas-North Carolina State game, investigations were launched to ensure the accuracy of all court markings for future games. This court issue added to the distractions faced by the NCAA during the women’s tournament, including instances of referee changes, racist harassment, and controversies involving player attire and coach behavior.
Despite the court problem, the players were largely unaware of the discrepancy, and both teams adapted to the situation during the game. The decision to proceed with the game as scheduled was made to avoid delays that could impact broadcasting arrangements. Both coaches acknowledged the uniqueness of the situation but agreed that the game had already been played on the court, and both teams had won, so it was best to continue. The NCAA assured that the court would be corrected ahead of the next Elite Eight matchup between Southern California and UConn.
The issue with the 3-point line distance affected the shooting percentages of teams during the games. Players faced challenges adjusting to the different distances, with teams shooting on the end with the closer 3-point arc having a lower percentage than those shooting on the correct end. Despite this, coaches and players made the best of the situation and focused on their game strategies rather than the court discrepancies. The unique circumstances surrounding the court issue in Portland highlighted the resilience and adaptability of the teams competing in the NCAA Tournament.
Baylor coach Nicki Collen, whose team lost to USC in the Sweet 16, emphasized on social media that the focus should be on game plans rather than external factors such as court conditions. Baylor’s performance in shooting 3-pointers during the second half of their game reflected the ability of players to adjust and perform under challenging conditions. The NCAA’s commitment to rectifying the court markings and investigating the root cause of the error demonstrated their dedication to ensuring fair play and accuracy in future games. Despite the distractions faced during the women’s tournament, the resilience and determination of the players and coaches shone through in their performances on the court.
