2008-09 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Rules Changes

The rules changes below were approved by the Men's and Women's Basketball Rules Committees and by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP). Unless otherwise indicated, the rules changes will be implemented for the upcoming 2008-09 season.

Court and Equipment 1-3.3. The restraining line shall be a color that is different from that of the end lines. When space is not available for a 6-foot restraining line, the line should be marked using the maximum available distance. Non-playing personnel shall not be permitted in this area.

Rationale: Contributes to player safety in facilities where a 6-foot restraining line is not available.

Commentary: According to rule, the restraining line is located 6 feet from each end line and shall be a color different from that of the end lines. Non-playing personnel are prohibited in this area; providing for player safety. The rules change states that when 6 feet is not available on an end line, the restraining line should be marked using the available space. For example, when there is a maximum of 3 feet of available space from each end line, then the restraining line should be marked at 3 feet. However, when there is at least 6 feet of available space from an end line, the line is to be marked at 6 feet.

Court and Equipment 1-14.3. Effective 2009-10, movable rings shall be required and the rings may flex both to the front and the sides.

Rationale: Requiring movable rings standardizes the equipment to be used for all Divisions. 

Commentary: In the past, movable rings were not required. Therefore, some institutions used permanent rings, creating inconsistencies in how the ball caromed off the rings. In addition, the downward force of a dunk or a player hanging on the ring caused the ring to lose its shape and/or height. Movable rings play differently and may maintain their shape and height longer than permanent rings.

Logos 1-16.4. There are no restrictions on NCAA, team or conference logos, names or abbreviations on the playing court, provided they do not obscure any of the required lines.

Rationale: Adds NCAA logos to the current practice that permits team and conference logos, names and/or abbreviations on the playing court. 

Officials Jurisdiction 2-4.4. (Men). When all three officials leave the visual confines of the playing area at the end of the game, the officials' jurisdiction has ended and the score has been approved.

Rationale: Eliminates confusion as to when the officials' jurisdiction has ended and the score has been approved.

Duties of Timer 2-10.9. Sound a warning horn 15 seconds before the expiration of the 20-second time limit to replace a disqualified player. The signal also shall be sounded at the end of the 20 seconds to replace a disqualified player.

Rationale: Makes the warning signal for a disqualified player consistent with the use of other warning signals.

Commentary: The 20-second time limit to replace a disqualified player was the only situation in which a warning horn sounded 5 seconds prior to expiration. The warning horn for all other time limits, such as those for timeouts and intermission, sounded 15 seconds prior to expiration. The rules change will now require a warning horn to be sounded 15 seconds before the expiration of the 20-second time limit to replace a disqualified player. This makes the rule more consistent with other warning signals. The change also applies to the 20-second time limit used for injury (women) blood, lost/displaced or irritated contact lenses.

Uniforms 3-5.10. Opposing team uniforms shall be of contrasting colors. The home team shall wear light game jerseys and the away team shall wear dark game jerseys. Note: This rule may be altered by mutual consent of the competing institutions.

Rationale: Helps officials to facilitate the identification of players and teams by requiring that the home team wear light and the away team wear dark.

Commentary: In the past, the uniform rule stated that opposing team uniforms shall be of contrasting colors and that the home team ‘should' wear light while the away team ‘should' wear dark. The rules change now requires that the home team wear light (not white) and the away team wear dark. The rule is not intended to define what ‘light' is and what ‘dark' is, but simply removes the option for home teams to wear dark and away teams to wear light. However, please note that this rule may be altered by mutual consent of the competing institutions to provide for special circumstances.

Uniforms 3-5.13 (new). The use of an arm sleeve, knee sleeve, and lower leg sleeve is permissible for medical reasons but its utilization shall be verified by either the individual's coach or team medical personnel.

Rationale: Permits the use of these sleeves for medical reasons but requires verification by the individual's coach or team medical personnel.

Uniforms 3-6.1. A single manufacturer's or distributor's normal logo, label or trademark may be worn on the game pants, and all other items of apparel excluding the game jersey (e.g. Warm-ups, socks, headbands, and wristbands). Game pants and warm-ups may bear a single manufacturer's or distributor's normal logo, label or trademark, an institutional logo/mascot, or a conference logo/mascot.

Rationale: Removed the words t-shirts and towels from the list of items permitted to have a single logo.

Commentary: The rule lists items that may bear a single manufacturer's logo. T-shirts were removed because they were often confused with undershirts. An undershirt is any shirt worn under the game jersey and it is not permitted to bear a visible manufacturer's logo. Towels were removed because they need not be regulated in the rules book.

Goaltending 4-34.3. When the entire ball is above the level of the ring during a field-goal try and contacts the backboard, it is considered to be on its downward flight. In such a case, it is goaltending when that ball is touched by a player.

Rationale: Eliminates the judgment of whether or not a try contacting the backboard is on its downward flight. 

Commentary: It is sometimes difficult to determine if a try is on its downward flight when it is above the ring and contacting the backboard. A ball on its downward flight during a field-goal try is one of the criteria for determining goaltending. The rules change eliminates making this determination. When a try contacts the backboard above the level of the ring, it is considered to be on its downward flight. It is important to note that this rule only applies to a try.

Timeouts 5-13.4.k.Note: For all NCAA tournament games, the format described in Rule 5-13.4 may be used without the presence of paid advertising.

Rationale: Makes the format for use of timeouts consistent for all three Divisions in NCAA tournament games.  The previous Note stated that only Division II Men were permitted to use the electronic-media timeout format without the presence of media (paid advertising).

Commentary: Electronic-media timeouts are only permitted when the use of paid advertising is present. When there is no paid advertising present - the electronic-media timeout format may not be used. The electronic-media timeout format guarantees the advertiser a paid advertising segment during a particular game as per the electronic media agreement. This Note is the only exception to the rule requiring that paid advertising be present to be able to use the electronic-media timeout format.

Foul and Penalties (Men) 10-3 & 10-4. Reorganization of Rule 10-3 and 10-4 in reference to infraction and penalty.

Rationale: No change to the intent of the rule, however, infractions have been classified. Two classifications; Class A technical fouls are for unsportsmanlike conduct and will replace Direct Technical Fouls.  Class B technical fouls deal with infractions of the rules that neither involve contact nor causes contact with opponent and fall below the limit of an unsportsmanlike act. Class B replaces Indirect Technical Fouls.

Flagrant Technical Foul Penalty (Women) 10-3.13-17 Penalty and 10-4.8 & 9 Penalty. After a single flagrant technical foul, play will be resumed with a throw-in to the offended team at a designated spot nearest to where the ball was located when the stoppage occurred.

Rationale: Makes the method of resuming play consistent with all other technical fouls. 

Commentary: In the past, play was resumed with a throw-in to the offended team at a designated spot on either side of midcourt for a single flagrant technical foul. This was the only technical foul in women's basketball that did not resume play at the point of interruption. To make the rule consistent, following a single flagrant technical foul, play will be resumed with a throw-in to the offended team at the point of interruption. It should be noted that when a single flagrant technical foul occurs during intermission for the second or extra period, play will be resumed with a throw-in to the offended team on either side of midcourt since the point of interruption is a jump ball. In women's basketball, the offended team is always awarded the ball for a single flagrant technical foul and a technical foul for an excessive timeout.

Rule references are taken from the 2008 Men's and Women's Rules and Interpretations Book and may vary in the 2009 version of this book.

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