The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- December 20, 1999

Lane change

New rules designed to help women's basketball curb contact during free-throw attempts

BY HEATHER YOST
STAFF WRITER

The women's basketball community is dealing with changes to one of the most consistent rituals of the game -- free throws.

Rule changes beginning this season allow only five players and the shooter to be lined up in the lane during a free throw. The previously forbidden 12-inch box, which the defensive player closest to the basket was never allowed to stand on, is now fair game. The new rule also requires the remaining four players to stay behind the three-point line until the ball hits the rim.

The new rule, implemented for women's games this year, has forced coaches, student-athletes and officials to adjust old habits in lane rebounding techniques and strategies.

Barbara Jacobs, secretary-rules editor for the NCAA Women's Basketball Rules Committee and coordinator of women's basketball officials for the Big East Conference, said the rule changes were surveyed for two years before becoming part of an experimental package in 1998.

"What we did was control the number of players in the lane for the exempt games last year," Jacobs said. "We didn't actually come up with a significant difference in fouls called or lane violations, but we didn't really expect to."

In an effort to give officials more control, alleviate post players being pushed under the basket and diminish physical play, the rules committee gathered information about the potential rule change in its annual survey. Although the poll is to give the committee direction and is not an actual vote, the committee found overwhelming support for this change from officials.

"With fewer players in the lane, the official has a better view to make calls and keep better control over what happens after the ball is released," Jacobs said.

In the 1998 survey, 97 of 108 officials responding preferred to limit the lane to five players without allowing players to stand on the box.

"I was really excited to hear about this," said Patty Broderick, who officiates many women's college games. "It was a great addition to the game and a way to eliminate some of the rough physical play, which is a major concern with coaches."

Ironically, though, the 1998 survey showed that coaches were against the change by a 111-84 count.

Brandon Schneider, head coach at Emporia State, said the change takes away some important rebounding strategies.

"We've really stressed rebounds from free throws in our program," he said. "We do a drill working on offensive rebounding on the free-throw lane every day with different sets to do when the ball is released. This rule change has eliminated many of those opportunities."

Reacting to change

Now that the new rule has made its debut, coaches are examining how to take advantage of the rule and determining who most benefits from the change.

"I realize from being a part of the rules committee that they don't just come up with rule changes," said Nancy Fahey, head coach at Washington (Missouri). "A lot of studies are done to determine rules. As a coach, my initial reaction is that this rule gives the offense a greater advantage because of the shooter's position. The ball can bounce back off of the rim quickly, making it difficult to box out the shooter."

The bounce off the rim may be made additionally important since the defensive player charged with blocking out the shooter may no longer stand at the top -- or the fourth position -- in the lane.

"I think one of the greatest benefits of the rule is eliminating the player in that fourth spot next to the shooter," Broderick said. "The defensive player was on the block so close to the shooter she was to box out that she would often knock the shooter off balance. Officials weren't doing a good job of calling this contact, and it was a concern from coaches. Now it isn't even a problem."

University of Delaware head coach Tina Martin said because the shooter may be able to avoid being blocked out after the free throw, the shooter now assumes even more of an advantage.

"The shooter can get involved more with the rebound now because she should know where the ball is going," Martin said. "She should know whether she missed left or right at least and have an idea if it is likely to be long. There is a step in there now for her to act on it."

Besides a possible opportunity for the shooter to react for the rebound, the type of team that will benefit from the change also is being debated. Does a quick team gain an advantage with the lane being less congested or does strength play a greater role in the rebounding struggle?

"Being able to move all the way to the top of the block decreases the advantage the rule could've given to quicker players," said Schneider. "Had there been more space between the players, it would have been different."

The reduction of 12 inches of space between the players also may allow for the defensive team to have a better angle for rebounds off the rim and avoid being pushed under the backboard.

"I like the idea of being able to move up in the lane," Martin said. "I like it better than eliminating the other players, but at least the low post player has more opportunity to make the play."

Beyond the changes, though, the new rule has coaches questioning the assertion that play in the lane was too physical in the first place.

"Some people think this is a contact game and others don't," Martin said. "I personally believe that it is a physical sport. I don't think we needed to adjust for that. Just because there aren't as many bodies in there doesn't mean we don't have to step in hard and box out hard."

Players, too, are wondering about the concern for physical play.

"I think that the first question from my players when I told them about the rule change was why we were doing it and not the men," Schneider said. "The best answer I could give them was that the rules committee was trying to clear up the lane and clean up some of the physical play."

According to the rationale provided in the 2000 Men's and Women's Basketball Rules book, the women's committee wanted to limit the number of players in the lane because it believed women do not play above the rim, which creates more congestion in the lane than in the men's game.

The committee believed the rule changes would help reduce the amount of rough play that occurs under the basket during free throws.

"I may be a little old-fashioned, but my biggest concern with this rule is the variation from the women's game and the men's game," Schneider said. "I don't think that we are that much different and wonder why we're trying to be."

Back to the drawing board

Jacobs said the new rules are forcing coaches to head back to the drawing board to figure out strategies that take advantage of the newly created situations.

"This new rule basically means that it is a three-on-three situation in the lane," Jacobs said. "A lot of what I hear from coaches is that they can't run a lot of the plays they had set in the lane without eight players."

Martin and Schneider are examining new plays to substitute for the strategies they used previously in free-throw rebounding situations.

"I think it was part of the strategy of the game to be able to work for the offensive rebound and run stunts," Martin said. "We will have to adjust and find some alternatives with so few players to work with."

Schneider said his team is now simply sprinting across the lane occasionally to confuse the defense and try to make something happen during the cross.

Coaches also are trying to develop strategies for utilizing the four players behind the three-point line.

"My players have asked me what they are supposed to do now that they are not in the lane," Fahey said. "We have been sending one player back on defense and allowing the second guard to wait and see if the ball would bounce long and past the others."

Besides the reaction from the officials in last year's survey, feedback from officials early this season has been positive.

"Officials are very happy," Jacobs said. "They can see what is going on now and can make the appropriate calls. It is a much clearer situation for them now."

"I think it has been beneficial to the game," Broderick said. "When we were having eight players line up, plus the shooter, nine players, it was a free-for-all much of the time.

"There was a lot of contact during free-throw situations."