NCAA Mulling Basketball Rule Changes, Switch to Quarters

The NCAA Men’s Basketball rule book never looks entirely the same from season to season, and the league’s rules committee will weigh a series of changes when they hold their annual meeting on Tuesday, June 10.

The first rule change, aimed at reducing stoppages, would require a coach’s challenge — provided the team requesting a video review retains at least one timeout, hasn’t made an unsuccessful challenge attempt or two successful challenges — to review out of bounds calls, goaltending and restricted area violations.

Under the rule change, officials could only trigger a video review during the last two minutes of regulation and any applicable overtime periods.

Other proposed rule changes include a switch from halves to quarters, which would impact not only fouls and the bonus situation, but also media timeouts and thus advertisements, as well as an expansion to the definition of continuation and goaltending.

If a player absorbed contact worthy of a penalty while going to the basket but before releasing a shot, the continuation proposal would allow them to complete their step or pivot and attempt a shot, rather than immediately whistling the play dead for a shooting foul. The goaltending change would penalize players for using the rim of the basket to obtain an advantage in blocking a shot.

Another potential change (albeit one not specific to basketball) will deal with eligibility: per reports from Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, the NCAA will consider adding a fifth year of eligibility for all student-athletes.

Finally, officials could call a Flagrant 1 foul for contact to the groin. Right now, they can only call a common foul or Flagrant 2 (which results in the offending player’s ejection), so this would add a middle ground of severity.

Click here for a full list of proposals.