NCAA basketball could look pretty different next season, as numerous rule changes were proposed Friday to help speed up a game that many have complained is becoming increasingly difficult to watch.
With hopes of getting a faster-paced game, the NCAA men's basketball rules committee proposed several rule changes, including changing the shot clock to 30 seconds from the current 35 seconds, as well as taking away one second-half timeout and altering timeouts to make them line up better with media timeouts. Additionally, the committee also proposed changing the distance of the restricted-area arc under the basket from three feet to four feet and allowing officials to penalize players who fake fouls.
These changes aren't official yet, as they still need to be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is slated to discuss the proposals on June 8.
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“The committee has taken significant steps to reverse the trends in the sport that are concerning to the men’s college basketball world,” committee chair and Belmont head coach Rick Byrd said in the NCAA's release. “We have spent the past year collecting data, opinions and considering proposals that will help our game. Our anticipation is that dedicated officiating enforcement, along with this package of changes, will help balance the offense and defense in our game.”
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The proposal to change the length of the shot clock comes after the NIT experimented with the 30-second shot clock during this year's postseason tournament. It would still be six seconds longer than the NBA's 24-second shot clock.
Additional proposals related to the pace of play include removing one timeout from each coach's arsenal in the second half of games. Resumption of play following timeouts and the fouling out of players would also be more strictly enforced. Coaches would no longer be allowed to call timeouts while the ball is live. Timeouts called within 30 seconds of media timeouts would serve as media timeouts.
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The committee also proposed a rule enforcing players who fake fouls.
"The committee discussed the growing issue of players attempting to draw fouls by deceiving officials," the release read. "The committee proposed a rule that would allow officials to penalize faking fouls during the use of video to review a possible flagrant foul."
The committee also OK'd an experimental rule change that, like the 30-second shot clock this past season, would be tested in the NIT. That experimental rule is adding a sixth foul to players, which is the same as in the NBA.