NCAA Basketball Proposed Rule Changes

The NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee made several proposals that should improve college basketball. An explanation of them is below, and I give my thoughts on how it should improve the game.

FULL LIST HERE

Timeout Changes

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MBBRules?src=hash">#MBBRules</a> Committee proposes changes related to timeouts. <a href="http://t.co/qrGYSL8tk7">pic.twitter.com/qrGYSL8tk7</a></p>&mdash; NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) <a href="https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/599268129269817344">May 15, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Other <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MBBRules?src=hash">#MBBRules</a> proposals include eliminating coach-called live ball timeouts and 10 second backcourt timer will not reset with timeout.</p>&mdash; NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) <a href="https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/599273297008799744">May 15, 2015</a></blockquote>

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Thrilled about this one. This proposal alone should save several minutes by itself. If a timeout is only supposed to be 30 seconds or a minute, then that's all the team should get. It also means that coaches have fewer timeouts at the end of games, which can lead to fewer stoppages of play, and therefore more exciting finishes. The joining of media/team timeouts is great, because there isn't much worse than a timeout, followed by eight seconds of basketball, and then another three minute stoppage.

I also like eliminating the ability for a coach to call timeouts during live ball situations. To me, this gives an advantage to players who are better prepared in practice to either not get trapped, or call timeouts when they are in trouble.

The potential issue with the timeout reduction is that cable companies will probably not like the rule, and that might be all she wrote for that one.

Physicality Changes

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MBBRules?src=hash">#MBBRules</a> Committee proposes rules with goal of reducing physicality in the sport. <a href="http://t.co/XW0iwZNeCN">pic.twitter.com/XW0iwZNeCN</a></p>&mdash; NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) <a href="https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/599269421895520257">May 15, 2015</a></blockquote>

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Basketball is meant to be a game of finesse and not necessarily physicality. This is an excellent change. It's also much-needed to expand the restricted area. It's absolutely ridiculous that "help" defenders slide out of nowhere to take charges. This isn't actual defense, and forces so many officials to make horrific offensive foul calls. Not only that, it's downright dangerous to just slide undernearth someone when they are attacking the basket.

Shot Clock

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MBBRules?src=hash">#MBBRules</a> Committee proposes reducing shot clock to 30 seconds with eye on increasing possessions and pace of play. <a href="http://t.co/o5IgWevUky">pic.twitter.com/o5IgWevUky</a></p>&mdash; NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) <a href="https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/599270584766308352">May 15, 2015</a></blockquote>

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I think I speak for all of us when I say it's about damn time. Basketball is meant to be an up-and-down, fluid game that displays tremendous athleticism and skill. The shot clock is one of the greatest improvements to the game of basketball. It's either 24 or 30 seconds in nearly every other league in the world. There is no reason why it should be 35 seconds.

Miscellaneous

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">More <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MBBRules?src=hash">#MBBRules</a> proposals: Hanging on rim technical reduced to 1 shot; elimination of 5-second closely guarded; allow pregame warmup dunking.</p>&mdash; NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) <a href="https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/599273965647994880">May 15, 2015</a></blockquote>

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Last, but certainly not least, pregame dunking is now allowed!