HOUSTON (AP) – The South Regional of the NCAA Tournament in Houston is the only one being played in a football stadium.
Is it the reason for such poor shooting?
The games are being played in NRG Stadium, which is home to the Houston Texans, and the setup, with no walls or bleachers directly behind either basket, challenges players’ depth perception. There are black curtains behind each goal, but they are quite far away from the baskets.
“It’s tough being out there on a court where there’s so much room behind the basket,” said Utah’s Brekkott Chapman, whose team shot just 35 percent in a loss to Duke on Friday night. “But it’s something that you got to adjust to quickly if you want to succeed in this.”
The other regionals are being played at the Staples Center, home to the Lakers and Clippers, Quicken Loans Arena, where the Cavaliers play and the Carrier Dome, home to Syracuse basketball and football games. Even though some football games are played at the Carrier Dome, the setup for the tournament is that of a traditional basketball arena.