Concerns about slipping prompted the Big 12 to swap out its innovative LED glass court for traditional hardwood for the remainder of the conference tournament in Kansas City, Mo.
The switch was made before the start of Friday’s semifinal matchups featuring No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 7 Iowa State and No. 5 Houston vs. No. 14 Kansas. The championship game is Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.
“After consultation with the coaches of our four semifinal teams, I have decided that in order to provide our student-athletes with the greatest level of comfort on a huge stage this weekend, we will transition to a hardwood court for the remainder of the tournament,” commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement after the quarterfinals concluded Thursday night. “We look forward to a great semifinals and championship game.”
The LED court displayed various graphics in real time and featured other innovations such as lighting up the 3-point line on shot attempts from behind the arc.
However, several players during the first three days of the tournament — and during last week’s Big 12 women’s tourney — slipped and struggled with grip issues on the surface.
Texas Tech star Christian Anderson, projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, slipped and injured his groin during the second half of the team’s quarterfinal loss to Iowa State on Thursday.
“Obviously the floor is a bit slippery, so I think I just kind of misstepped or did a movement that caused me to slip and kind of ended up in a little unnatural position,” he said. “That’s what it was.”
Kansas coach Bill Self called the decision to switch to the traditional court “the right thing to do.”
–Field Level Media
