In a surprising turn of events, No. 3 North Carolina State secured a 76-66 victory over No. 1 Texas, propelling them to the women’s Final Four. However, the game was not without its peculiarities, as it was revealed that the three-point lines on the court at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, were not uniform distances from the basket.

The NCAA issued a statement acknowledging the discrepancy, stating that the two head coaches were informed of the issue but chose to proceed with the game as scheduled, rather than delaying it to correct the court. The NCAA assured that the court would be rectified before the next game in Portland.

Furthermore, the NCAA announced plans to measure all court lines and markings at Moda Center following the conclusion of Sunday’s events, ensuring uniformity and accuracy moving forward.

Following the game, the NCAA further commented, expressing apologies for the court line error and pledging to investigate the incident. While the vendor has acknowledged the mistake, the NCAA is committed to ensuring the accuracy of all court markings for future games.

The organization clarified that there have been no reported issues at previous tournament sites for both men’s and women’s games. However, the NCAA acknowledged regret that the error was not detected earlier.

In terms of gameplay, Aziaha James emerged as the standout performer for NC State, leading the scoring with an impressive 27 points. Despite the uneven three-point line distances, James displayed remarkable accuracy from beyond the arc, shooting an impressive 7-of-9 from long range.

Following the game, players were questioned about the discrepancy regarding the three-point line. However, Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer stated that they were unaware of the issue. Schaefer explained that correcting the court would have resulted in at least an hour’s delay, risking their scheduled broadcast window on ABC.

In his fourth year coaching at Texas, Schaefer admitted he couldn’t recall which side of the court was correct, attributing the chaos of the game and subsequent emotions to his lack of memory. He suggested that anyone could easily observe the difference by examining the court from the stands.

Schaefer expressed his belief that the discrepancy ultimately didn’t matter in the grand scheme of the game. However, he remarked that it highlighted the current state of women’s basketball, implying potential areas for improvement.

Schaefer expressed admiration for his team, praising them as “great Longhorns” and emphasizing their incredible competitiveness and integrity. Despite the defeat, he maintained pride in their efforts, acknowledging the challenges they faced to reach this point.

NC State’s star player, James, reiterated that the players were unaware of the three-point line discrepancy, focusing solely on playing their game. She affirmed that the issue did not affect her performance on the court.

Coach Wes Moore of NC State shared that while he wished he hadn’t known about the issue, his primary concern was the game itself, particularly with a Final Four spot at stake. He emphasized that the players handled the situation well and that ultimately, both teams played under the same conditions.

Moving forward, NC State will face No. 1 South Carolina in the Final Four after their victory against No. 3 Oregon State. South Carolina’s coach, Dawn Staley, expressed gratitude for her team’s resilience and competitive spirit, securing them another Final Four berth.

Meanwhile, the Moda Center will host another Elite Eight game between No. 1 USC and No. 3 UConn. The Final Four will take place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, with the women’s national championship game scheduled for April 7.