When the Ducks return to Matthew Knight Arena for the 2012 basketball season, they will be greeted by a new addition to Kilkenny Floor.
The Register-Guard reported Friday that a mid-court line has been added to the court in response to numerous complaints from opposing coaches last season.
The line, according to The Register-Guard, will still blend into the floor with two different shades of brown, and does not pass through the “O” at center court. Still, it is an improvement that leaves Pacific-12 Conference officials satisfied.
“There is an NCAA rule in place about mid-court stripes,” Pac-12 spokesman Kirk Reynolds said to ESPN.com. “So they worked with us to make sure the line was properly visible.”
Oregon fans will remember that the line, or lack thereof, played a crucial role in the College Basketball Invitation championship game against Creighton last April. With 16 seconds remaining and the game tied at 69, Blue Jay guard Antoine Young committed an over-and-back violation, handing the ball back to the Ducks for a final shot. Sophomore Oregon forward E.J. Singler hit the winning layup, and Creighton was left to wonder about what could have been.
This newest component of the arena is meant to avoid any further controversies.
Additionally, the Register-Guard reports that the women’s three-point line has been removed from the court. Per an NCAA rule change, the women’s three-point distance will now be identical to that of the men at 20 feet, nine inches.