Arizona's Lloyd Not Concerned With Controversial Big 12 Tournament Court

The Big 12 Tournament has been making plenty of headlines this past week. Not just because of the teams playing in it, such as the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats, but because of the rather unconventional playing surface.

This year’s edition of the tournament, which is taking place at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, features a different type of court being used. Rather than a standard hardwood floor, the Big 12 is experimenting with a glass, LED electronic court that can change logos and floor colors with the tap of a button.

Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) drives around UCF Knights center Jeremy Foumena (0) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

While some may think the court is innovative and unique, others believe it is distracting, migraine-inducing, and slippery due to the glass surface. Since the tournament started — for both the men’s and women’s teams — players and coaches have complained about headaches and a lack of grip on the court.

Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; UCF Knights center John Bol (7) is helped off the court after an injury during the second half against the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Wildcats had no issues with the terrain during their first game in the tournament, crushing UCF 81-59 in the Big 12 Quarterfinals. The No. 2 team in the country in the AP Poll looked as dominant as they have all season, despite the unusual playing surfaces.

After the win, head coach Tommy Lloyd explained that the court has no effect on how his team will perform, and that it isn’t something he’s thinking about.

Mar 7, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts in the first half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

“Well, I didn’t play, I coached,” Lloyd said. “So, I was on fine footing. We’ll play on asphalt. We’ll play on asphalt, with double rims, we’re fine with that. If the other team has to deal with it, then we’ll deal with it as well. I’ll let the powers be, and make those higher up decisions.”

Mar 7, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts in the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Clearly, the court had no ill effect on the Wildcats' ability to dominate. Arizona began the game on a 35-8 run over the Knights, and it was smooth sailing from there, simply outclassing them in every aspect on both ends of the floor.

After their dominant win over UCF, the Wildcats will face Iowa State in the Big 12 Semifinals. When the two teams met in Tucson on March 2, the Wildcats emerged with an emphatic 73-57 win over the Cyclones. They’ll look to come out victorious a second time and move on to the Big 12 Finals.

Feb 28, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) celebrates during the first half of the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

The Wildcats don’t need to win the conference tournament to get into the Big Dance, but some extra high-quality wins could go a long way on Selection Sunday if they still wish to claim the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.