Ilias Kamardine and Kezza Giffa advance another round: headed to SEC tournament quarterfinals
March 13, 2026
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve
Big 12 abandons LED court for traditional floor after multiple injuries
NCAA - The Big 12 conference is replacing its innovative LED court with a traditional hardwood floor for the semifinals and finals of its tournament, after several players slipped and were injured on the controversial surface.
Mar 10, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Logo on the new digital floor prior to a game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Baylor Bears at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Photo Credit : © William Purnell-Imagn Images
The Big 12 has made the decision to return to a traditional hardwood floor for the remainder of its conference tournament at the T-Mobile Center, after the innovative LED court it was using caused slipping and traction problems for players.
A promising but problematic technology
« After consultation with the coaches of our four semifinal teams, I have decided that to provide our student-athletes with the highest level of comfort on such an important stage this weekend, we will switch to a hardwood floor for the remainder of the tournament, » Commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement after the conclusion of Thursday night’s quarterfinals.
While innovative in its ability to display various real-time graphics, the LED court saw several players slip on it and experience traction difficulties during the early rounds of the tournament, as well as during last week’s women’s tournament. Notably, Texas Tech star Christian Anderson, projected as the 16th pick in the first round in ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft, fell and suffered a groin injury in the second half of Thursday’s loss to Iowa State and Frenchman Killyan Touré (1.89m, 19 years old).
🪦Big 12 glass court: March 2026 – March 2026 pic.twitter.com/E7OrJmYLuU
— Iowa Everywhere (@IowaEverywhere) March 13, 2026
Mixed reactions despite the innovation
« Obviously, the court is a bit slippery, so I think I just made a misstep or a movement that made me slide and I ended up in a somewhat unnatural position, » he explained. Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland added:
« It’s definitely different. It’s obviously a different surface than what we’re used to playing on, and there were some difficult movements today. I think with the size around the basket, it’s not a big problem, but the speed of the guards’ play, and the stop-and-start action – it just has a different response than what we’re used to. »
Kansas coach Bill Self applauded the Big 12’s decision to change courts. « I think it’s the right thing to do, » he said Thursday night. « The focus now needs to be on four of the best teams in the country and not on the court, » Yormark told ESPN regarding this decision. « I look forward to seeing great semifinals and a final. »
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Sylvain Sultat follows the NBA on a daily basis, covering individual performances, team dynamics, and the league's greatest stories. On Be-Basketball, he breaks down the latest American basketball news with passion and consistency, always on the lookout for the trends shaping the world of basketball.
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