Big 12 Tournament scraps LED glass court after complaints, slipping concerns
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Big 12 will replace glass court with hardwood for remainder of the tournament.
- League cited player and coach feedback and a Texas Tech injury as reasons for change.
- Commissioner coordinated switch to provide greater comfort for student-athletes.
After the final game of the Big 12 men’s basketball tournament’s quarterfinal round, the league announced it is scrapping its LED glass court and returning to a traditional hardwood floor.
That will be the case for Friday’s semifinals and Saturday’s final, with the change already underway late Thursday night.
The change comes in the wake of several notable complaints during both the men’s and women’s tournaments, the latter of which has already concluded. Players and coaches have consistently complained about a lack of traction, in addition to concerns about the LED lights being distracting and lines being hard to make out on the floor.
This swap also comes hours after Texas Tech star Christian Anderson, an All-Big 12 standout, suffered a groin injury while slipping on the court.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark issued a statement Thursday night:
“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. We look forward to a great semifinals and championship game.”
Yormark continued: “The focus now needs to be on four of the best teams in the country and not the court. I look forward to a great semifinals and championship.”
In a news conference earlier this week, Yormark said the league was receiving feedback about the court from players and coaches, adding that referees had complimented it. But Yormark also commented that it would take time for people to embrace the innovative court, which features LED glass panels.
Most players in both tournaments said adjustments were needed to play on the court.
“You gotta be precise with your movements. You can’t make a lot of movements that will put you in a position to slip,” Anderson told reporters. “Gotta be able to adjust. Basketball is a game of adjustments.”
Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said the court was more difficult for guards who were used to making quick movements.
“It’s definitely different and ... it’s a challenge at times,” McCasland said. “It’s obviously a different surface than what we’re used to playing on, and there were some challenging moments today, is what I would say. ... I thought we had a hard time handling changing directions over the course of the game.”
Kansas State’s Taj Manning, a Grandview native, was the most critical of the court, saying he hoped the partnership with it — from manufacturer ASB GlassFloor — came to an end.
“It’s slippery,” Manning said. “The lights and stuff caused Khamari (McGriff, teammate) to get a migraine. It’s a bad court. They shouldn’t bring it back. It’s just an eyesore. It’s constantly changing and stuff and flashing different lights. Nobody wants to play on that floor.”
