Rules changes in store for women’s basketball
Northwest Missouri State University women’s basketball coach Buck Scheel will have a little more room to roam on the sidelines this upcoming season.
The NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee and the Playing Rules Oversight Panel recently approved rule changes for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 basketball seasons, including extending the length a coach can walk on the sideline to talk to players and make changes.
Scheel recently sat down with the Daily Forum to give some thoughts on some of the rules changes.
Rule change: The use-it or lose-it timeout in the first half has been eliminated. Coaches will be allowed to carry over timeouts to the second half.
Scheel: “I think it is a good thing. I think a lot of the time with the pace of the game in the first half, there is no need for a timeout. A lot of times you use it just to use it. There are times it hurt us for whatever reason. Every game is different. There were several games where I didn’t call them. To be able to carry them over to the second half is a definite positive. Between the first and second quarter, that is another timeout you have. A lot of times you use it to stop a run or extend a run but sometimes it can hurt your momentum as well.”
Rule change: Moving to a four-foot restricted area instead of three feet in front of the basket. A secondary defender must be outside of the arc and in legal guarding position to draw a charge. If the player is in the restricted area when the contact is called, a block will be called.
Scheel: “I think they did it to clean up the floor. I don’t know why it wasn’t like that before. I don’t think it will have much of a difference. I feel officials will be more reliable with it because of just glancing down. Instead of two lines it will be one line. There won’t be the second guessing.”
Rule change: The 10-second backcourt count will not be reset when the offensive team calls a timeout.
Scheel: “It could have an effect. There is obviously not a ton of pressing that takes place at our level. There is to an extent. I think that will come into effect in late game situations.”
Rule change: Teams will now be able to choose which side of the court to inbound the ball after advancing it to the frontcourt after a timeout. In the past, teams had to inbound the ball at the 28-foot line on the side with the scorer’s table.
Scheel: “I like that. I think it is a good thing. Depending on personnel and things you might run you might be better one side of the floor than the other side of the floor. It depends on the setup you are running. I think it is good. If there is something you are trying to get, you have the ability to have that option.”
Rule change: The coach’s box will be extended to 38 feet. Previously the coach’s box was 28 feet in length. What will it mean?
Scheel: Maybe not have to yell as loud. (laughs) I think it will be good for deadball situations. I think with this next year we will be a young team to be able to communicate a little bit better when they are on the opposite side of the floor will help. Allows us to communicate a little bit better.
Other rules changes:
• Player must place both feet outside of the lane to avoid a 3-second violation.
• Officials will be permitted to use replay to determine if the release of the ball on a made basket occurred before the shot clock expired
• Add a requirement that the screener must be inbounds while setting a screen
• Permit LED lights at the scorers’ table which are synchronized with the LED lights on the backboard and game clock
• Recommended that officials be permitted to penalize non-flagrant contact during the dead-ball period following a successful goal as a personal foul
• Recommended that flagrant 2 personal fouls and flagrant 2 technical fouls be combined and renamed qualifying fouls — Two free throws are awarded to any player of the offended team and the team is awarded the ball for a throw-in at the division line. When the foul occurs before the start of the game, the game shall begin with a jump ball.
• Recommended that flagrant 1 personal fouls and contact dead ball technical fouls be combined and renamed unsportsmanlike fouls.
Two free throws are awarded to any player of the offended team and that team is awarded the ball for a throw-in at the division line. When the foul occurs before the start of a game, the game shall being with a jump ball. A player assessed two unsportsmanlike fouls is disqualified.
