Rule changes coming to NCAA women’s basketball
By Kim Doss
NCAA seeks to speed up pace of play
In May, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee introduced a number of proposals meant to enhance the game. On June 5, they announced which of the rules have been adopted and which will be introduced on an experimental basis.
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Beginning in the 2019-20 season, both men’s and women’s NCAA basketball will reset the shot clock to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound is secured in the frontcourt. This eliminates the 10 seconds that is usually allowed to advance the ball beyond halfcourt.
The 20-second shot clock will also be used in cases where the defensive team commits a foul or intentionally kicks or punches the ball. However, this reset will only happen if the clock is below 20 seconds at the time of the infraction; if the clock is still above 20 seconds, it will not be altered.
Other changes coming in the 2019-20 season focus on player conduct and decorum. Most importantly, a player will be ejected if she receives both a technical foul and an unsportsmanlike foul in the same game. Officials will also be able to assess penalties for misconduct if they observe such acts while already in the process of reviewing a play.
The women’s game took a more cautious approach to moving back the 3-point line. While the Division I men’s game will move the arc to the international distance of 22 feet,1.75 inches beginning next season, the women will continue using an arc at 20 feet, 9 inches during the regular season and NCAA Tournament.
The international distance will, however, be instituted during all postseason tournaments except the NCAA Tournament. Tournaments such as the Postseason WNIT and the CBI will be used as test cases to see how a new line would affect the game.
Back in May, the chair of the rules committee said that they did not have much support from the schools for changing the 3-point line in the women’s game. So, they are opting to experiment with it rather than instituting it immediately.
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