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3-point line measurements appear off for crucial Elite 8 women’s showdown
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Some things just have to be right when it comes to a big-time basketball game. Inflate the ball appropriately, make sure the rims are level, and on and on.
Unfortunately, players involved in the women’s Elite 8 matchup between NC State and Texas are having to adjust to conditions a bit. According to those in attendance and watching on television, the 3-point line on one end of the court in Portland was off a bit.
Some viewers noted the line appeared to be off during the previous Sweet 16 matchups, and some tournament officials were spotted measuring off the line before the game between the Wolfpack and Longhorns.
Check it out:
Yikes, measurements off on one side of the court in Portland ? pic.twitter.com/0lHhmrgqy0
— Angel Gray (@Angel_Gray1) March 31, 2024
MEASUREMENTGATE pic.twitter.com/wiiVEqtTbK
— The Sickos CBB Committee (@SickosCBB) March 31, 2024
Texas entered the showdown as a 6.5-point favorite per ESPN Bet, but the Wolfpack have controlled the action in the first half. Fans can track the latest odds for NC State via SDS’s new sports betting apps.
Reaction to the blunder
Needless to say, that is the kind of mistake you can’t have in college basketball. While baseball stadiums traditionally mix and match certain dimensions, basketball is the kind of sport where having equal dimensions is vitally important.
Here’s how fans and media alike reacted to the major miscue:
The NCAA is currently playing on an asymmetric court with 2 different 3-Point lines in a Regional Final game between Texas and NC State. Unreal. pic.twitter.com/G1j7OJSaQv
— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) March 31, 2024
The 3-point line at the Portland regionals is wrong… and they didn’t realize it through four Sweet 16 games? (And I’m not sure they did anything about it for this Elite Eight game?) https://t.co/lVoKL3fMNe
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) March 31, 2024
That’s so awful. https://t.co/hfTZ5F04Lp
— OGhoopsprguy (@exhoopsPRguy) March 31, 2024
how is this even possible? https://t.co/DzujAul6FX
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) March 31, 2024
Lmao at trying to measure it with the extremely official “walking off the distance with your feet” system https://t.co/UXMoESC7Wn
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) March 31, 2024
This is just crazy. The three-point line on one half is significantly deeper than the other at the Women’s Elite 8 in Portland, and they just figured it out https://t.co/17ro1qSyiE
— Noa Dalzell ? (@NoaDalzellNBA) March 31, 2024
This is the 5th game at the Portland women’s regional this weekend and they just NOW figured out the 3 point line might be wrong? https://t.co/2O1LI8uIHP
— Pregame Empire (@PregameEmpire) March 31, 2024
I’m more interested in how this was only caught TODAY during warmups. https://t.co/cdj2mcU2n8
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) March 31, 2024
So far in this women’s tournament they had to remove a ref for officiating a game with their school in it, and now they’ve played 5 games on a court with the wrong measurements for the 3 point line. A great look for the NCAA. https://t.co/XEEiJfZvQk
— Billy Howell (@CoachBilly1) March 31, 2024
sooo there was 5 games before this and they just now realized the 3 point line was off https://t.co/FWQDMQAjU5
— Mari (@ohhhthatsMari) March 31, 2024
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.