NC State’s game against Texas in the Elite Eight was complicated by concerns about the field that could have affected previous March Madness games in Portland.
NCAA officials scrambled to correct incorrect on-court line measurements in Portland ahead of Sunday’s Elite Eight game between North Carolina State and the Texas women’s team. basketball teams.
Ultimately, the Wolfpack and Longhorns elected to play despite the two arcs being painted different distances from the basket.
“The NCAA was informed today that the 3-point lines on the court at the Moda Center in Portland are not the same distance,” the NCAA wrote in a statement confirming the circumstances. “Both head coaches were informed of the discrepancy and elected to play a full game on the field as is, rather than correcting the field and delaying the game.”
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There have been previous matches played on the Moda Center field in the NCAA Tournament, the discovery of the problem therefore created controversy throughout the region. It also raised questions about how such a mistake could have happened and why no one noticed it until Sunday.
No. 3 seed NC State beat No. 2 seed Stanford in Portland to reach the Elite Eight, while No. 1 seed Texas overtook No. 4 seed Gonzaga. Other games that took place on the poorly located field were USC vs. Baylor and UConn vs. Duke, with both of those contests taking place in the Sweet 16.
Because the teams change ends at halftime of each game, they all faced the wrong distance for the same amount of time. However, the losers of the Portland-based games might be able to argue that it ruined their rhythm during the fourth quarter, especially if they were shooting from further range in the second half.
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Regardless, the apparent mistake by NCAA tournament organizers is probably one of the worst blunders in modern Division I sports history. Measuring distances on 3-point lines is one of the most fundamental aspects of basketball, at all levels. This is something people playing at a local park would expect to be right, let alone in world-class women’s competitions. college basketball players.
With an Elite Eight March Madness matchup between UConn And U.S.C. scheduled for Portland on Monday, organizers plan to correct the problem overnight.
Aside from the competitive balance issues that losing teams won’t soon forget, a poorly measured 3-point line will be seen as a sign of disrespect for women’s basketball in an era when players and coaches hoped that this sport was entering a new phase. new stage.
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Women’s college basketball is still just a few years away from its not being able to use the phrase “March Madness” and having vast disparities in weight rooms of men’s basketball players at an NCAA tournament bubble site.
“Wait, are you kidding me?” wrote Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, who ardently campaigned for better conditions for women’s basketball. “The top of the key is incorrect? This must be a joke!”
