Murray State University Athletics
What You Need To Know - Basketball Officiating This Season
11/10/2016 11:52:00 AM | Men's Basketball
With the opening of the Murray State men's basketball season coming up Friday when the Racers host Illinois State, fans will notice a continuation of the way the game is called by officials. As it was in 2015, the aim to reduce overly physical play will remain an emphasis.
A year after the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee applied more than 30 rule changes, the 2016-17 season will see more.
The NCAA has been proactive in educating fans, so they'll know how the game is going to be called and have an understanding of the new rules and how they're being enforced.
See below detailed explanations from J.D. Collins, NCAA national coordinator of men's basketball officials.
Here are some of the major rules interpretations for the upcoming season as outlined by the NCAA.
Reducing Physicality
The Men's Basketball Rules Committee has again reiterated its directive to the National Coordinator of Officials to continue the program begun last season to reduce physicality in six areas and particularly in the areas of post play and rebounding.
Post Play
Several important rules and principles are important in post play.
1. If the offensive player dislodges the defender, it is a foul on the offense. If the defense dislodges, it is a foul on the defense.
2. If the offensive player posts up with his arms straight out to the side to ward off an opponent and contact occurs with a defender who is attempting to get around the offensive post player to front him, it is a foul on the offensive player.
3. If the defender uses a "swim stroke" in an attempt to front an offensive player who has his arms in a legal position (bent at the elbows), it is a defensive foul.
4. If the defensive player "lays" on the offensive player with more than incidental contact, it is a defensive foul.
5. If illegal contact occurs by the offensive player using a straight arm and the defense using a "swim stroke" at approximately the same time, this is a double foul.
6. Officials will be instructed to call the first foul.
Rebounding
The following play situations are fouls and officials will be instructed to call the fouls consistently throughout the game.
1. Displacement of an opponent.
2. Free throw situations in which the offensive player on the lane line (the second player position on the lane line) shoves the defensive player in the first position to gain a rebounding advantage.
3. Shoving, wedging, using the knee/leg on an opponent to gain an advantage.
Traveling
There will be increased emphasis on enforcing the traveling rules especially when players reset their feet on the perimeter and in the post when players drag or change pivot feet or exceed the legal number of steps in making a move to the basket.
New Interpretations
Coaches Calling Timeouts
A rule change which went into effect last season prohibited a coach from calling a timeout during a live ball. This season the head coach may call and be granted a timeout during a throw-in by his team before the ball has been released, even though the ball is live by rule.
Restricted Area Arc
1. A secondary defender located in the restricted area may now jump straight up in the air in a "walled up" position with two arms straight in the air in an attempt to block a shot. Any resulting contact when the defender conforms to these principle of verticality requirements may result in a no-call or an offensive foul.
2. When a secondary defender remains grounded in the restricted area, he is still subject to all of the restricted area rules even though his arms/hands may be straight up over his head. Illegal contact with the offensive player will be a defensive foul under these circumstances unless another rule applies.
Verticality/Cylinder
The verticality rules apply to legal guarding position and also apply equally to offensive and defensive players. In 2015, the rules committee approved a rule change which creates an imaginary cylinder around each player. In the enforcement of this rule, the defender may not "belly up" or use his body or arms to cause illegal contact outside his vertical plane. In addition, the offensive player must be allowed enough space to make a "normal basketball play" which includes shooting, passing, or dribbling. When the offensive player is attempting to make a normal basketball play, the defense may not invade the vertical cylinder space of the offense and make illegal contact.
The cylinder rule results in a new interpretation when enforcing certain swinging of the elbow situations. Previously, all illegal contacts resulting from swinging of the elbows were enforced against the player who swung his elbows. Now, if the offensive player with the ball is attempting a normal basketball move and the defensive player has invaded the cylinder of the offensive player, contact by the offensive player's elbows with the defensive player may not always be an offensive foul. In these situations, when a player moves the ball from one side to the other by moving the ball high (above the shoulders) or low (below the waist), it is considered a normal basketball play. Any contact with the elbow will most likely not be considered an offensive foul and a foul could be assessed against the defense. On the other hand, if the offensive player is holding the ball at chest level (between the waist and shoulders) and moves the ball from one side to the other, he is at risk of being assessed an offensive foul or flagrant foul when illegal contact occurs.
It is important to note that officials will be looking at the forearms of the offensive player to determine whether the offense or defense is at fault for any illegal elbow contact. When the offensive player holding the ball moves the ball from one side to the other and his forearms are more vertical than horizontal, this movement will be considered part of a normal basketball play. When the offensive player's arms are more horizontal than vertical, he will be considered to be "clearing space" and is at risk for being assessed an offensive or flagrant foul.
The verticality/cylinder rules and interpretations are intended to force defenders to back off far enough to allow offensive players to begin a normal basketball play. All other guarding rules remain in full force and effect.
A year after the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee applied more than 30 rule changes, the 2016-17 season will see more.
The NCAA has been proactive in educating fans, so they'll know how the game is going to be called and have an understanding of the new rules and how they're being enforced.
See below detailed explanations from J.D. Collins, NCAA national coordinator of men's basketball officials.
Here are some of the major rules interpretations for the upcoming season as outlined by the NCAA.
Reducing Physicality
The Men's Basketball Rules Committee has again reiterated its directive to the National Coordinator of Officials to continue the program begun last season to reduce physicality in six areas and particularly in the areas of post play and rebounding.
Post Play
Several important rules and principles are important in post play.
1. If the offensive player dislodges the defender, it is a foul on the offense. If the defense dislodges, it is a foul on the defense.
2. If the offensive player posts up with his arms straight out to the side to ward off an opponent and contact occurs with a defender who is attempting to get around the offensive post player to front him, it is a foul on the offensive player.
3. If the defender uses a "swim stroke" in an attempt to front an offensive player who has his arms in a legal position (bent at the elbows), it is a defensive foul.
4. If the defensive player "lays" on the offensive player with more than incidental contact, it is a defensive foul.
5. If illegal contact occurs by the offensive player using a straight arm and the defense using a "swim stroke" at approximately the same time, this is a double foul.
6. Officials will be instructed to call the first foul.
Rebounding
The following play situations are fouls and officials will be instructed to call the fouls consistently throughout the game.
1. Displacement of an opponent.
2. Free throw situations in which the offensive player on the lane line (the second player position on the lane line) shoves the defensive player in the first position to gain a rebounding advantage.
3. Shoving, wedging, using the knee/leg on an opponent to gain an advantage.
Traveling
There will be increased emphasis on enforcing the traveling rules especially when players reset their feet on the perimeter and in the post when players drag or change pivot feet or exceed the legal number of steps in making a move to the basket.
New Interpretations
Coaches Calling Timeouts
A rule change which went into effect last season prohibited a coach from calling a timeout during a live ball. This season the head coach may call and be granted a timeout during a throw-in by his team before the ball has been released, even though the ball is live by rule.
Restricted Area Arc
1. A secondary defender located in the restricted area may now jump straight up in the air in a "walled up" position with two arms straight in the air in an attempt to block a shot. Any resulting contact when the defender conforms to these principle of verticality requirements may result in a no-call or an offensive foul.
2. When a secondary defender remains grounded in the restricted area, he is still subject to all of the restricted area rules even though his arms/hands may be straight up over his head. Illegal contact with the offensive player will be a defensive foul under these circumstances unless another rule applies.
Verticality/Cylinder
The verticality rules apply to legal guarding position and also apply equally to offensive and defensive players. In 2015, the rules committee approved a rule change which creates an imaginary cylinder around each player. In the enforcement of this rule, the defender may not "belly up" or use his body or arms to cause illegal contact outside his vertical plane. In addition, the offensive player must be allowed enough space to make a "normal basketball play" which includes shooting, passing, or dribbling. When the offensive player is attempting to make a normal basketball play, the defense may not invade the vertical cylinder space of the offense and make illegal contact.
The cylinder rule results in a new interpretation when enforcing certain swinging of the elbow situations. Previously, all illegal contacts resulting from swinging of the elbows were enforced against the player who swung his elbows. Now, if the offensive player with the ball is attempting a normal basketball move and the defensive player has invaded the cylinder of the offensive player, contact by the offensive player's elbows with the defensive player may not always be an offensive foul. In these situations, when a player moves the ball from one side to the other by moving the ball high (above the shoulders) or low (below the waist), it is considered a normal basketball play. Any contact with the elbow will most likely not be considered an offensive foul and a foul could be assessed against the defense. On the other hand, if the offensive player is holding the ball at chest level (between the waist and shoulders) and moves the ball from one side to the other, he is at risk of being assessed an offensive foul or flagrant foul when illegal contact occurs.
It is important to note that officials will be looking at the forearms of the offensive player to determine whether the offense or defense is at fault for any illegal elbow contact. When the offensive player holding the ball moves the ball from one side to the other and his forearms are more vertical than horizontal, this movement will be considered part of a normal basketball play. When the offensive player's arms are more horizontal than vertical, he will be considered to be "clearing space" and is at risk for being assessed an offensive or flagrant foul.
The verticality/cylinder rules and interpretations are intended to force defenders to back off far enough to allow offensive players to begin a normal basketball play. All other guarding rules remain in full force and effect.
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