Sports

Kansas State Women’s Basketball Coach Creates Big 12 Court Controversy Over Alleged Bias

#NCAA Women's Basketball
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© Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images


Kansas State women’s basketball coach Jeff Mittie is unhappy with his conference’s bias. He took to social media following the opening day of the league’s men’s tournament.

Mittie sparked controversy linked to the Big 12’s new court. He believes administration showed bias when it came to promoting the two sports.

The Lady Wildcats competed in the postseason event last week. As a 12-seed, they won three games with upsets over Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.

The season came to an end with a loss in the semifinals against top-seeded TCU.

The women’s tournament represented the debut of the new Big 12 basketball court. Kansas State played the first game on the floor last Wednesday.

Mittie watched the men’s team compete in its opening round this week. The promotion of the two products was much different in his eyes.

Jeff Mittie claims Big 12 court bias.

Kansas State’s men’s team lost to BYU in its one and only game of the postseason. Viewers got to see all that the new court has to offer in terms of pregame light shows and in-game graphics.

The digital court was introduced as a way to make the Big 12 Tournaments unique. And while it has some drawbacks to the fan experience – highlighted by no courtside drinks – it largely succeeded in doing so.

The pregame was a spectacle with names of players flashing beside school logos during intros. In-game graphics, like shattering glass after slam dunks, also provided some fun.

Jeff Mittie did not see those graphics during the women’s tournament. He called it out after the fact. In the end, it might’ve been a blessing in disguise.

Kansas State basketball players hated the court.

Forward Taj Manning was asked about the design after the men’s team’s loss. He was not impressed.

“It was pretty bad,” the forward said. “It’s slippery. The lights caused Khamari (McGriff) to get a migraine. It’s a bad floor. They shouldn’t bring it back, if you want my honest opinion…

“It’s an eyesore. It’s constantly changing and flashing different lights. Nobody wants to play on that. Just go back to normal hardwood.”

Mittie might’ve avoided a headache, quite literally, by not having to see the graphics. His team had much more success than their counterpart in its Big 12 Tournament run.

That does not minimize Mittie’s criticism. We’ll see if the Big 12 speaks to the alleged bias following the coach’s public thrashing.