The proposal is an effort by the NCAA to improve the flow of games, and to have fewer disruptions while referees review the plays.
The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee, aiming to improve game flow, has proposed that only coaches can trigger video reviews of out-of-bounds calls.
This decision, announced by the NCAA on Friday, follows a meeting in Indianapolis where concerns about prolonged stoppages, especially towards the end of games, were discussed.
Alongside the new coach’s challenge system, strategies to enhance the pace of the game consist of focusing on delay-of-game strategies, decreasing monitor review durations, refining game management, and cutting down on physical play.
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel must approve proposals before they become official. The panel is scheduled to meet June 10.
Under the coach’s challenge proposal, teams must have a timeout to request a video review challenge. If the challenge is successful, teams would be allowed to have one additional challenge for the rest of the game, including overtime. If the first challenge is unsuccessful, the team loses the ability to challenge the rest of the game.
Other than in the last two minutes of a game and in overtime, a coach’s challenge also would be necessary to initiate a review of basket interference/goaltending and restricted arc plays. Recent data shows those reviews caused minimal game interruptions. Officials could not initiate video review on out-of-bounds calls at any point in a game.
Fans have complained about the disruption of game flow as the number of situations when video review can be used has increased over the last decade. Karl Hicks, committee chair and associate commissioner for basketball at the American Athletic Conference, said taking steps to improve flow was the priority of this year’s meeting.
“Coach’s challenges were deemed to be the most efficient way to accomplish this goal,” Hicks said. “Data from the NCAA tournament and membership conferences showed a substantial number of reviews were on out-of-bounds plays. The committee looked at other basketball leagues around the world to see what the best solution would be for the NCAA, and the committee agreed with the NBA coach’s challenge system and its one plus one process.”
Officials still can initiate video reviews to check for timing mistakes, scoring errors, shot-clock violations, 2-point versus 3-point field goal attempts and flagrant fouls.
The committee also recommended a modification to the continuous motion rule where an offensive player who ends his dribble going toward the basket and absorbs contact from the defense could pivot or complete the step he is on and finish his shot attempt.
The committee also asked Division I conferences to create a joint working group to provide feedback on the potential change from halves to quarters.
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