Texas Tech star Christian Anderson slipped on the Big 12’s new glass floor and left injured as Iowa State dominated 75-53, raising fresh concerns about the surface.
The Big 12 Tournament’s new glass basketball floor is drawing plenty of attention, but not all of it is positive. On Thursday, Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson became the latest player affected by the surface after slipping and leaving the game during the Red Raiders’ 75-53 loss to No. 7 Iowa State.
The injury happened midway through the second half when Anderson lost his footing while receiving an inbounds pass near his own free throw line.
The All-Big 12 guard immediately grabbed his groin area after slipping on the court and limped to the Texas Tech bench. Trainers examined him, but he did not return to the game.
Despite the scare, Anderson downplayed the situation afterward.
“I'm feeling good,” Anderson said. “Obviously the floor is a bit slippery, so I think I just kind of misstepped or did a movement that caused me to slip and kind of ended up in a little unnatural position. That's what it was.”
The ASB GlassFloor, introduced by the Big 12 for this year’s conference tournaments, has created buzz for its high-tech LED display that can project graphics, statistics, and advertisements directly onto the court.
While visually impressive, players and coaches have acknowledged the surface feels different from traditional hardwood.
Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland admitted the change has been noticeable, especially for guards who rely on quick movements.
“It's definitely different,” McCasland said. “It's obviously a different surface than we're used to playing on, and there were some challenging movements today, is what I would say. I think with size around the basket it's not [a big issue] but the quickness of guard play, and stop-and-start action — it just has a different response than what we're used to.”
Iowa State players also had to adjust throughout the game. Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey slid across the court multiple times, while teammate Joshua Jefferson even changed shoes during the tournament in search of better traction.
“It's just an adjustment, I think these shoes right here are probably going to be done for the week,” Jefferson said. “I only wore them against Texas Tech this year [on Feb. 28]. Might see them later on in the tournament, in March Madness, so we'll see.”
Despite the controversy, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said the league will evaluate feedback from players and coaches.
“We're very intentional about that,” Yormark said, “and we'll react accordingly.”
For Texas Tech, the bigger concern now is Anderson’s health.
The Red Raiders are already without star forward JT Toppin, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury earlier this year. Losing another key player could dramatically impact their momentum heading into the NCAA Tournament.