Sports

Poor Shooting Fuels NCAA Tournament Fire Surrounding Over-Inflated Basketballs

#March Madness
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iStockphoto / © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images


Are the basketballs at the NCAA Tournament over-inflated? It’s a question that’s been asked over the last few years by both players and viewers.

The topic has resurfaced in 2026 ahead of the Round of 64. Poor offensive performances from Texas and NC State provided further fuel to the narrative.

The over-filling started as a conspiracy. Those watching along to the action began posting social media videos of unforced turnovers and rim-rattling misses.

@theshotdoctor

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That theory was confirmed as the videos gained popularity.

Alex Karaban of UCONN said he “thought the ball had too much air in it,” during the 2024 NCAA Tournament. That can obviously be an issue.

The PSI has a direct impact on both dribbling and shooting. Did that affect the Wolfpack and Longhorns on Tuesday night?

Video of bouncy NCAA Tournament basketballs surfaces.

That clip, which appeared to be taken during an SMU shootaround on Monday in Dayton, sparked a reaction online.

Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes said, “NCAA Basketball is the only league in the world where games are played with several different brands of balls; Nike, Wilson, Under Armour, Spaulding, Adidas, etc. depending on who and where you play; all are different. The NBA plays with one ball, FIBA plays with one ball, why can’t we?”

Sam Dekker echoed that sentiment with a post reading, “Do I have to scream this each year until I am red in the face? NCAA needs to hire someone at every venue to make sure the basketballs are acceptable to be played with. It turns the actual product into a completely random event.”

Since 2022, the NCAA Tournament has used Wilson EVO basketballs. Those balls, however, are not used by all teams throughout the entirely of the season.

The difference in ball makes a difference. The range in PSI can also have an effect.

It’s recommended to inflate NCAA Tournament basketballs to between 7 to 9 pounds. The gap between the bottom and top is significant. Those filled to the max are both slicker and bouncier.

Did it impact Texas and NC State?

Players have noticed the difference in the past. Viewers speculate that over-inflation affected Tuesday night’s final game.

The Wolfpack and Longhorns had already played earlier this season, combining for nearly 200 points in a 102-97 Texas win. The rematch was much lower scoring.

The ‘Horns won 68-66 on a last second shot. Neither team shot the ball particularly well. Both jump shots and layups were an issue.

Even some of the makes had a little extra bounce.

NC State entered with the 11th-best three-point rate in college basketball. It missed 10 of its first 13 shots behind the arc.

Texas, meanwhile, had just three makes inside the arc throughout the entire first half. It couldn’t buy a bucket in the paint.

Combined, the two teams shot 37.9% from the field and 33% from three. Free throws accounted for more than 26% of the scoring total, which fell 25 points shy of Vegas’s betting projection.

Were the balls the issue or was it just an off night between two familiar opponents in a new arena?

No player has been publicly critical of the basketballs at the NCAA Tournament. Still, it remains a topic of discussion amongst viewers. We’ll see if it continues to be a storyline moving forward.