Rule Changes Abound For 2015-16 Basketball

NCAA Men's Rule Changes I NCAA Women's Rule Changes I Rule Change Comparison

Anticipation is high for the 2015-16 Murray State basketball season as the Racers host a doubleheader Friday at the CFSB Center.

Fans will notice right away that the game for men and women is being administered and called much different than last season.

When the Racer men open at home against Harris-Stowe, a sweeping set of rule changes will be in play after being adopted over the summer by the NCAA. The MSU women's team will be playing four quarters this season when they open at home Friday against Oakland City.

The NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee compiled more than 30 rule changes that seek to speed up pace of play, reduce the number of times the game can be stopped and hopefully find a balance between offense and defense.

According to a release by the NCAA, There is agreement between the committee, National Association of Basketball Coaches and officiating leaders that there is a need to reduce physical play.

Here are some of the major changes for this season in the area of the way players play the game.

• The defender cannot hand-check or body bump the ball handler.
• A reduction in physical play in the post and in rebounding will be emphasized.
• More freedom of movement for players without the ball will be desired by the officials.
• Officials will not allow moving screens.
• Offensive players can no longer initiate contact with legal defenders.
• The arm bar is now allowed in post area when offensive player has his back to the basket with or without ball.
• On airborne shooter charge plays – officials will not score on the basket on a player-control foul.

There are also several changes in game operation and management including the shot clock. Last season it was 35 seconds and after experimenting with 30 seconds in the NIT last spring, a 30 second shot clock was adopted for this season.

• The restricted area arc under the basket was expanded from three feet to four.
• Timeouts have been changed as well. The number of allowed 30-second timeouts went from four to three and coaches can only carry two carry over to the second half.
• Coaches aren't allowed to "double-up" by calling a 30-second timeout within 30 seconds of a media timeout. If they do, it will become the media timeout.
• Coaches can now only call timeouts during a dead ball.
• Now the 10-second backcourt count will not reset in these situations: When the defense causes the ball to go out of bounds, the offense retains possession on a held ball or a technical foul is called on the offensive team. The offensive team may call a timeout and when play resumes, the 10 second count will renew.
• The five-second closely guarded count on a dribble has been done away with.
• Teams are allowed to dunk during pregame and halftime warmups.
• When a defensive player is clearly not going to contact a jump shooter (fly by), the offensive player cannot "seek out" the defender and make contact.

Instant replay is also getting some tweaks this season.

• Officials can use the shot clock to determine violations.
• Officials will be able to look at the release of the ball on potential shot clock violations at any point during the game for made baskets only.
• Subs will not be allowed into the game during instant replay reviews in the last two minutes of the second half and overtime until the review is finished.

The NCAA also produced a video that will help explain the rule changes.

The women's game is also change some rules for 2015-16.

There are many changes to the women's competition in game operation and management including having a four-quarter game. The ladies will play four 10-minute quarters this season. Here are some other changes.

• When a player fouls out, the time a coach has to send in a replacement is now 15 seconds.
• The women's game has the same change to subs during an instant replay review.
• Teams now have the ability to advance the ball to inbound near mid-court in the final 59.9 of the fourth quarter or overtime. This can be done when a timeout is taken by the offensive team.
• As the game is played in quarters, there will be one media timeout in each period. The break between quarters will be like a media timeout.
• A pair of bonus free throws will be given for each common foul beginning with the fifth team foul in a period.
• Each team receives three 30-second timeouts and one full timeout (60 seconds). They can use as many of their timeouts as they want in the first half. Teams may only carry three timeouts over to the second half.

Murray State University Athletics

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