The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee approved several proposals May 15 designed to “significantly improve the pace of play, better balance offense with defense and reduce the physicality in the sport,” according to an NCAA press release.
These recommendations were officially approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Monday.
The most significant proposed rule changes include shortening the shot clock from 35 seconds to 30 seconds, expanding the restricted area arc from three feet to four feet and removing one team timeout in the second half.
“Although the reduction in the shot clock to help increase scoring seemed to be the most discussed topic, the increase in the physicality of play has been a major concern for coaches,” said Ron Hunter, president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and men’s basketball coach at Georgia State University, in the release. “The NCAA rules committee has addressed that this week with an emphasis on perimeter defense and post play.”
The committee is comprised of 13 members — six from Division I and three from both Division II and Division III, plus a non-voting secretary rules editor. NCAA rules legislate that at least three of the members must be college administrators and seven must be coaches.
The committee met May 12-15 in Indianapolis and highlighted reducing the physicality of the game as the “most critical need” in improving the sport.
As a result, a series of officiating directives will be enacted next season.
The committee will focus on perimeter defense, physicality in the post, screening, block/charge calls and promoting freedom of movement without the ball.
Similarly to the offseason prior to the 2013-14 season, when the committee met to discuss rule changes and officiating directives, the committee was “formalizing in the rulebook several officiating guidelines dealing with screening and post play, making those items fouls and not just guidelines.”
Additional proposed rule changes include preventing coaches from calling live-ball timeouts, allowing officials to penalize players who fake fouls after consulting video review to examine a potential flagrant foul, allowing players to dunk in pregame warmups and allowing officials to review potential shot clock violations throughout the game.
“Without question, this will require an adjustment period for everyone in the game, and it is likely to be difficult at times,” said Belmont University Coach Rick Byrd, who is the chair of the committee, in the release. “If we strictly enforce these rules consistently, we believe players and coaches will adjust, and the game will be much better in the future.”
