National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

June 15, 1998

Basketball groups address held ball, clock management

The NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee addressed held-ball situations created by the defense, while the NCAA Women's Basketball Rules Committee formulated plans for an educational program for officials on clock management during the committees' annual meetings conducted at the Isle of Palms, South Carolina, June 4-7.

With the men's change, held-ball situations initiated by the defense will result in possession being awarded to the defensive team at the closest designated spot to where the held ball occurred. In the past, possession on such a play was determined by the alternate-possession arrow. Alternate-possession situations not initiated by the defense, such as a live ball becoming lodged on a basket support or players from different teams simultaneously knocking a loose ball out of bounds, will continue to be governed by the alternate-possession arrow.

"The committee feels this change will reward outstanding defensive play that in the past went unrewarded if the possession arrow belonged to the offense," said Herbert F. Kenny Jr., director of athletics at Wesleyan University (Connecticut) and chair of the men's committee.

Although not a rules change, the women's committee's major issue was clock management by officials. Under the committee's plan, this educational program will include officials' communication with the scorers' table at the end of games.

"Attention will be given to the role of game management, security and, in games in which an alternate referee is present, the role of that individual," said Marcy Weston, senior associate director of athletics at Central Michigan University and secretary-rules editor for the women's committee.

"The program will center on what the officials should do if they determine that a problem exists in the last few seconds of a game. In such a case, the referee will go to the scorers' table and remain at the table until the situation is remedied and the final score is approved. Review of the television monitor and information available from the scorers' table personnel can be used in making this determination."

Uniform changes

Both committees passed liberalized, clearer rules governing design of game jerseys to keep the area around the number unobstructed, while allowing schools and manufacturers areas in which to be creative.

Under the new uniform rules:

  • The torso of the team jersey shall be a single solid color from the base of the neck to the bottom of the team jersey. Undershirts shall be similar in color to the torso of the shirt and shall not have frayed or ragged edges. If the undershirt has sleeves, they shall be the same length.

  • There are no restrictions in the area of the team jersey from the base of the neckline to the shoulder seam. (If a back panel is used, it must be of the same color and no more than three inches in length.)

  • Team names, abbreviations or player's names may be placed no closer than one inch from the plane of the top or bottom of the number.

  • Any form of decorative emphasis (for example, paw, halo, crown, star) on an identifying name or abbreviation is permitted only if the name or abbreviation is located above the number.

  • If a tail is used in the lettering of an identifying name or abbreviation, the name or abbreviation must be located below the number.

  • Decorations such as mascots, stars, commemorative/memorial patches and logos of any kind are permissible on the game jersey only within the four-inch side insert.

    Other common rules changes made by the committees included:

  • A movable basket ring pulled down by a player and contacting the ball before the ring returns to its original position is basket interference.

  • When a double personal foul is called, the ball will be awarded to the team that was in possession when the foul was called. There will be no change in the alternate-possession arrow. The shot clock will not be reset. Previously, possession was awarded by the alternate-possession arrow. When the arrow belonged to the defense and a double personal foul occurred, the defense was being rewarded for committing a foul, as if it had created a turnover.

    Experimental rules

    Both committees recommended to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet experimental rules to be used at selected exempted events during the 1998-99 season.

    The respective committees passed differing experimental rules dealing with rough play in the lane during free-throw attempts. The men's committee recommended that exempted events move the first free-throw lane space 10 inches farther from the basket. The existing playing rule allowing eight players on the lane would be retained under the men's experimental rule.

    The women's committee recommended a similar experimental rule that would move the first lane space 10 inches away from the basket but would limit the number of players on the lane to five, the same number permitted under the experimental rule used by both committees last season.

    "Results from these different experimental rules combined with last year's results will give us a complete group of data from which to determine if such a rules change would effectively reduce rough play in this situation," Weston said.

    Both committees also approved an experimental rule recommended by the Division I Men's Basketball Committee designed to shorten the amount of time needed to play the last few minutes of televised games.

    For exempted events, television timeouts (full-length) would be called at the first dead ball after the 16-, 12-, eight- and four-minute marks in each half. Teams would not possess additional full-length timeouts. Instead, each team would be granted five 30-second timeouts, four of which could be carried over to the second half. The first 30-second timeout called in the game by either team automatically would become a full-length television timeout.

    The men's committee also approved an experimental rule changing the 35-second clock to 45 seconds. The women's committee elected not to experiment with the shot clock.

    Points of emphasis

    The men's committee noted that palming, rough play away from the ball and enforcing coaching box restrictions/bench sportsmanship will be points of emphasis next season.

    The women's committee also will emphasize those three points of emphasis, as well as hand/forearm check and rough play off the ball.

    In other actions, the men's committee approved a recommendation to be included in the rules book that all competitive rings be tested for rebound elasticity before each season and before the postseason tournaments begin.

    The men's committee also recommended William R. "Reggie" Minton, head coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy, to succeed Kenny as committee chair. Kenny's term will expire September 1.