Bacot rolled his ankle in the final minute against Kansas and had to leave the game. (0:20)
The manufacturer of the court at the men's college basketball Final Four told ESPN on Tuesday that there were no structural issues in the spot where North Carolina star Armando Bacot injured himself during Monday night's championship game.
An expert technician who was present at every game of the men's Final Four confirmed that there were no loose floorboards or panels in the court.
Bacot was forced to leave the game in the final minute after he injured his ankle.
Slow-motion replays, which later went viral on social media, showed what appeared to be a floorboard just outside the restricted area of the paint that depressed slightly under the weight of Bacot's right foot in the instant before he reinjured the ankle. In the aftermath of the game, Bacot didn't mention the floor, but the video of his right foot pressing down on the floor prompted many questions about the quality of the playing surface.
The comment came in an email after the NCAA was asked about it.
The Championship floor is a panel system engineered for athlete safety and comfort, achieved by its ability to absorb impact forces as an athlete jumps or pivots abruptly, while also ensuring that other players nearby.
After the play was over, Bacot did not come back. One of the most important possessions of the game was when he turned over the ball after the injury.
The athletic director at North Carolina said that school officials did not discuss the court with the NCAA.
Cunningham said in a text message that they played two games over that space.
Bacot left the Superdome wearing a walking boot. He injured his ankle against Duke in the waning minutes of the national semifinal and was unable to jump in the warm-up. He finished the championship game with 15 points and 15 rebound.
Bacot's indelible image came after he injured his ankle in the final minute. He hopped the length of the court on one leg, behind the play, so that his team wouldn't be at a disadvantage. After he crossed half court, the referees blew the whistle to address the injury. He left the game.
Bacot said he thought he would be putting the Tar Heels in the lead when he attempted to score in the paint.
Bacot said he thought he got the angle he wanted. I thought it would be easy. I rolled my ankle.
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