Houston Cougars Unfazed by LED Court Controversy at Big 12 Tournament

Emanuel Sharp and Kingston Flemings dismissed concerns about the playing surface following Houston's win over BYU.

Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; General view of the arena showing the new digital floor during the national anthem prior to the game between the BYU Cougars and the Houston Cougars at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament has drawn plenty of attention over the last 24 hours. The LED glass court that the conference unveiled before the tournament's start has gotten some extremely mixed reviews from players and social media alike.

While the court is certainly eye catching, the on-court presentations quickly took a backseat as players began losing their footing on what was described by many as a slippery surface. Momentum toward a change of surface grew after Texas Tech's Christian Anderson suffered an injury in the quarterfinals.

“After consultation with the coaches of our four Semifinal teams, I have decided that in order to provide our student-athletes with the greatest level of comfort on a huge stage this weekend," Yormark said. "We will transition to a hardwood court for the remainder of the Tournament. We look forward to a great Semifinals and Championship Game.”

The Big 12 will now finish the event on a traditional hardwood floor. No. 7 Iowa State and No. 2 Arizona will be the first to play on the new court at 6:00 p.m., followed by No. 5 Houston's rematch with No. 14 Kansas at 8:30 p.m.

What Houston Players Thought of the LED Court

Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp (21) brings the ball up court around BYU Cougars center Abdullah Ahmed (34) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Coming off of their 73-66 win over BYU, Houston's players offered a calmer assessment of the LED surface than many of their Big 12 counterparts. When asked about how they felt on the court, both Emanuel Sharp and Kingston Flemings emphasized that both teams are dealing with the same environment.

“We’re all on the same floor. So there’s no advantage gained," Sharp said. "No, I thought the floor was fine. I fall on a regular. You know, wasn’t nothing different. It’s an even playing field. I don’t think it’s crazy."

The veteran for Houston didn't seem to have much of a reaction to the idea that the court might be slippery. Sharp even admitted that he's fallen on normal hardwood floors this season. Flemings echoed the same sentiment, saying that he didn't feel the playing surface was factor.

“Both teams have to play on the floor," Flemings said after Houston's win. "So I mean it wasn’t the floor’s fault that one team won, one team lost. It was all about the players."

"Honestly I think the floor is pretty cool," he added. "The pregame was pretty cool. At halftime we watched the last game, it was pretty cool. I mean just trying to do what we can to get the win.”

While the surface has drawn plenty of attention throughout the week, the Cougars didn't seem to treat it as something special. That mentality may not have played a factor in their win over BYU, but it's definitely a healthy one to carry deep into March.