A court screw-up has recently cast a shadow over Portland’s hosting of the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament. The NCAA has confirmed that the three-point lines at the Moda Center in Portland were of varying lengths during the games played in the city’s hosting of the tournament this past weekend.
The discrepancy was discovered just before Sunday’s Elite Eight matchup between the University of Texas and North Carolina State. Officials were seen measuring the distance from the baseline to the top of the three-point line on each half of the court, realizing the disparity. It was revealed that the court had not been properly adjusted from the Sweet 16 to the Elite Eight games, meaning that six other teams had unknowingly played on a court with incorrect dimensions. Both Texas and NC State had also won their initial games on the same lopsided court.
Despite being aware of the issue, the coaches of both Texas and NC State, Vic Schaefer and Wes Moore, respectively, agreed to proceed with the game. Schaefer expressed his reluctance to delay the game, disrupt his team’s rhythm, and risk losing the network TV slot on ABC. As a result, the game went on as planned, with NC State ultimately prevailing over Texas with a score of 76-66.
This court screw-up has now drawn attention to the oversight and raised questions about the level of preparation and attention to detail in Portland’s hosting of the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament. The NCAA has acknowledged the mistake and is likely to face scrutiny for the oversight in ensuring consistent court dimensions throughout the tournament.
It remains to be seen how this incident will impact the reputation of both the NCAA and the Moda Center in Portland. The focus now shifts to addressing the issue and preventing similar mishaps in future tournaments, ensuring that all teams have a fair and level playing field during these highly anticipated games.
