The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP. Really? PROP is the acronym for the rules committee? It’s like the jokes write themse– Okay, get back on topic.) approved changes for the upcoming 2015-16 college basketball season. Most articles focused on two components. The 30-second shot clock and time outs.
The 30-second shot clock is the most visible change. The goal being to speed things up and hopefully increase scoring. I’ve discussed this a couple times, so, yeah. Unintended consequences will be the watch word for this one.
The time outs thing has as much to do with the watchability of college basketball. Or the lack thereof many times at the end of games.
The men’s basketball rules committee recommended the rule changes after months debating how to increase scoring and speed up play, especially late when flurries of fouls and timeouts made games seemingly drag on endlessly and needlessly.
The panel approved cutting the number of timeouts each team can use in the second half from four to three and eliminating some of the extra stoppages by using any timeout called within 30 seconds of a media timeout as the scheduled break. Committee members hope that will eliminate the occasional double timeouts that occur when there is no natural break around the 16-, 12-, 8- and 4-minute marks.
It’s telling that there was such support for reducing the stoppages at the end of games by schools (not necessarily the coaches of the schools, but the athletic departments) and even the media companies. The media groups like ESPN, Fox and CBS will lose some advertising revenue from the change to timeouts and media timeout grouping. But that they weren’t objecting in this case suggests that even they feared what it was doing to viewership.
Also eliminated is the ability of coaches to be able to call a timeout from the sideline/bench in liveball situations. Liveball being the key. Coaches can still call the timeout on an inbound situation, but not once the ball is on the court.
The arc around the basket will be increased from 3- to 4-feet in an effort to have less collisions and give a little more space for offense.
In a nutshell, here are the other rules changes that were noted, and then I will hit on some a little more.
— Players will be given a six-foul limit during 2016 postseason play other than the NCAA tournament.
— Officials can consult video monitor feeds for potential shot clock violations throughout the game, not just in the final minutes.
— Teams will be awarded one shot when opponents are called for technical fouls for hanging on the rim or delay of game.
— The five-second, closely guarded rule while dribbing the ball is eliminated.
— Dunking in pregame warmups and halftime warmups is no longer prohibited.
Six foul test run? Just go back and watch some really old Big East games. Not sure that will help scoring and offense.
Replay. Welp, the upside is getting the call right. The downside, being more delays throughout the game. Especially as teams are trying to adjust to the 30-second clock.
The one-shot technical foul for delay of game/hanging on the rim. That’s a reduction from the two-shot technical foul it had been. Eh. No strong feelings, but it seems fine.
Eliminating the five-second closely guarded rule while dribbling. I’m fine with that. It does simplify things for officials. Especially since “closely guarded” has been such a nebulous term. I’ve seen refs not do the count when they are within a foot of the ball handler, and I’ve noticed refs start counting when the defender is a good six feet away. And don’t even get me started with how the refs define five seconds.
Dunking in pregame no longer prohibited. Eliminating a dumb rule is not a bad thing.
There’s actually more to the changes. This one caught my eye.
During the use of a video review to see if a possible flagrant foul occurred, the panel approved a rule that would allow officials to penalize players who fake fouls. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee felt that players trying to draw fouls by deception is a growing issue.
I like this. And I suppose limiting it to just when there is a video review of a possible flagrant will keep replay from getting even further out of hand. It isn’t clear whether that means they waive off the initial foul call once they go to the review if it was determined that the player trying to fake the foul fooled the ref into blowing the whistle. One would hope for common sense here, but you can never be too sure.
Additionally, there is supposed to be points of emphasis for refs in the upcoming season.
• Perimeter defense, particularly on the dribbler and strictly enforcing directives established before the 2013-14 season.
• Physicality in post play.
• Screening, particularly moving screens and requiring the screener to be stationary.
• Block/charge plays.
• Allowing greater freedom of movement for players without the ball.
Basically, a lot of the things that were abandoned last season will be tried again with officiating. The issue isn’t simply emphasizing these things to help the game. It is actually calling them. Not just in November and December, but come March and April.
Kentucky Coach John Calipari noted that a couple weeks ago at SEC meetings.
But if officials aren’t instructed and don’t follow through on calling fouls, Calipari said the game won’t stop being so rough.
“Here’s what the question will be: How long will they keep calling the fouls?” Calipari said. “Two years ago, we started this and then no one had the stomach for it. The teams that advanced in the NCAA Tournament that year fouled on every possession. So then we all — me included — went back to football practice. ‘That’s it. Put helmets on. Let’s go. That stuff was a bunch of BS.’ And by the end of the year, that’s how we played and basically made it to the Final Four playing football.”
Earlier this month, the NCAA men’s basketball rules committee approved a package of officiating directives. They’re intended to focus on physical play on the perimeter and in the post, moving screens, block/charge plays and allow greater freedom of movement for players without the ball.
Similar directives were put in place before the 2013-14 season. Free throw attempts increased during non-conference play, but then the physicality of the game returned once conference schedules started.
“This happened in the NBA when they went to the hand-check,” Calipari said. “It took two years for them to change it until the coaches and everybody said, ‘OK, you can argue, you can say what you want, but I’m calling that foul.’ And then we’ve got to accept it as coaches and administrators. Fans have to understand why it’s happening.
“Teams that are just fouling on every possession. That’s OK. We’ll call a foul every possession. … They’ll all say, ‘Well, the better teams don’t want fouls.’ No, (it’s about) the flow of the game. You say there will be a foul every play. OK. Then he’ll have no players to play. So he’s got to teach his players, or play a zone or trap the post. There’s all kinds of things you can do as a coach if they’re calling the game. We’ll adjust. Guys are not dumb.”
As a fan, this is what I want. As a Pitt fan, I so wish this had not been abandoned after only one year. Looking at the team Pitt had last year. Especially inside, Pitt would have benefited greatly from more freedom of movement and less physicality.
Not entering debate on JD coaching but both he and BeHeine were not thrilled with the move to ACC for that reason. This is why they want a few ACC tournaments in NYC. Pitt will also have to expand its territory and unfortunately that takes time – new and different coaches. If I were PG and Barnes I would have JD in for a serious meeting. What is the problem(s); how do we fix, what do you need on resources etc. We will have yearly meetings and expect the one in three years to be BIG. Just my opinion.
Louisville will add competition, who knows about Syracuse after their scandal. VT has a real coach for the first time. ND may recruit better now.
I have been expressing my doubts about Jamie, primarily regarding recruiting. Really needs some top flight assistants that can recruit elite players. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening.
The real question is how long will the new administration put up with a middle of the pack (if that) ACC team that struggles to make the NCAA’s every year.
I just don’t see us getting better this year unless one of the young or new guys is a real surprise. A real long shot.
wbb is probably right regarding recruiting, but I also blame it on Knight and the revolving door of assistants who haven’t brought in anyone other than Young or Artis (a pleasant surprise) that has made much of a difference.
Jamie and his staff have missed the boat. They’re not selling or recruiting correctly.
Just in name recognition alone, there is no comparison between the ACC and the Big East and/or the American conference.
You mean a kid in NYC would rather go to Villanova because he’ll come home to play St.Johns or Seton Hall?? And get to play Creighton and DePaul???
Or a kid’s gonna go to UCONN, and end up playing East Carolina and Tulane twice a year??
Something’s wrong somewhere, is you can’t sell a kid on several top 10 rankings, sold out going crazy Oakland Zoo’s, tourney every year,
and playing Duke, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia.
I mean, those conferences don’t even have “big time” national games.
What, UCONN vs. Tulsa???
Villanova vs. Butler??
Again, you may very well be correct, but someone missed the boat on parlaying our move to the ACC, to elevating our recruiting to the next level.
It was handed to us on a plate.
And from the 10 member Big East,
Villanova and Georgetown.
Those are the only three teams out of 21
with any cache.
I admit I was wrong a couple years ago, I thought the move to the ACC would be a
boon and a windfall for Pitt hoops recruiting.
And absolute windfall. I was indeed wrong.
Certainly, good on the field results will be crucial to finishing the recruiting season with some highly sought after guys.
but to the average or casual Joe or Joesephine in the office, even that game is a
“who”, “what’s a Butler”.
When I look back, I’m really mystified how we didn’t use the ACC move to move our recruiting into the stratosphere.
My thinking must be off somewhere as it relates to 18 year old kids thought processes.
You want to go to UCONN and play UCF and SMU???
You want to go to Villanova and play Providence and Seton Hall??
Even lately lowly Wake Forest and Georgia Tech have more cache than most of those teams in those conferences just on name recognition alone.
I believe I’m thinking like a fan, and not the recruit, hence my big miss on recruiting windfalls.
Enough hoops, it brings me down.
While there are many good points listed in the posts immediately above why the move to the ACC shouldn’t have mattered … apparently it very much did.
And Center is the key to Dixon coached teams. Always has been. When he has to play small at the 5, Pitt has struggled mightily. He added 3 decent Center prospects in the offseason that will change the dynamic of this team. Mike Young being able to play the 4 is huge and without having to go small as a team.
JR peaked way too early as a player but he’s not nearly as bad as some make him out to be.
I have no idea if this team has the will of Pitt’s best teams but it is better than last season’s team. At least on paper. And last season’s team was pretty damn close to sneaking into the tourney if they didn’t melt down the final 10 days of the season.
The ACC is not as strong nor as athletic as a lot of people pretend it is. Pitt can be a top 5 team in the league with the roster they have. The Big East was just as athletic as the ACC is currently and was a better overall conference. The ACC has the same dynamic of teams as well. Some play fast, some play slow and everything in between.
CBB in general is in a big funk in regards to offense. It’s a problem permeated throughout the entire NCAA’s. It’s not a Pitt problem. 90% of the teams play “slog” ball. CBB is very ugly right now. Thus the reason for the changes being implemented.
They didn’t go far enough but it’s a start. The NCAA’s are traditionally very slow at keeping pace with the evolution of the game. Next major rules in 2 years will be a bigger 3 point arc and 24 sec shot clock. Baby steps.
TT, I hope you are right, one of those centers must step up and Wilson has to contribute from Day 1. Also need one of the other guys to make a major stride, one of the CJ’s or Jeter needs to step up. None of them will be any good playing 5 minutes a game. We need guys worthy of 20 minutes.
It maybe because that don’t get the urban kids like Fields, Krauser and Wannamaker .. or JD is trying to implement a new style more conducive to the ACC, but doing a poor job of it. Probably some of both.
gc – I’m not calling anything because I don’t know where these kid’s heads are at. The team last year had the least feel of any team I can remember. It was also Dixon’s dumbest from a basketball IQ standpoint. I’m only saying is that skill sets and athletic ability, it is very comparable to Pitt’s most successful teams if not a tad better.
wbb- I’m hoping the basketball IQ and mental makeup that looked so bad was just b/c of players not playing their natural positions and that with everyone sliding into their natural spots it just clicks.
I hope you are right about how successful the BB team will be this year but I fear you’re looking thru rose colored glasses at a team that finished in the bottom half of its league and has brought in insignificant talent for this year, which tells me we will again end up in the bottom half of the league. Only time will tell.
I much as I like the Academy and enjoy their matchups with Pitt… You can’t start that crap again… Football only, basketball only.. Everyone swimming in different directions with different intentions.
The last thing left to do is get the Domers on full boar, tell BC to shut up and take their rightful place at the bottom of the conference while UConn is added to get to 16.
Done, and done.
Poor UConn… I mean what the hell are they doing up there?
contrary to all the buzz at the time the BB program has cratered coming into the ACC. from being top powerhouse in Big East and feared opponent to anyone… to a totally average team that no one is too concerned to play.
Dixon needs to adjust with his staff and recruiting or he is gone in 2yrs I would think.
So how is that going to shake out next year. when the 3 noobs come in to play the 5, Young’s best spot last season. And Artis is going to have to play the 3.
So with all these ‘if’s, guys not playing their best positions, team could be a real discombobulated mess.
And remember, noobs coming into Dixon’s system haven’t had a real good success rate of making a difference. Especially big men.
pittman – like I said, I’m not calling anything. I will give Dixon the benefit of the doubt though. I do tend to defend him but to be honest a change of scenery may not be a bad thing either. As long as he’s here though, I have zero problems supporting him. I went to Pitt from 93′-98′ so I know what rock bottom looks like in all of Pitt athletics.
This team has the same physical makeup of successful Pitt teams. That is all I’m saying. In fact, it is probably more athletic top to bottom than some of the best Pitt teams.
I’m not calling NCAA tournament but it would not surprise me if they had a very good season.
BC’s 5 previous seasons before entering the ACC.
2004-05 1st BigEast
2003-04 5th BigEast
2002-03 1st BigEast
2001-02 4th BigEast
2000-01 1st BigEast
After a couple decent years in the ACC;
3rd in 2005-06
4th in 2006-07
They have turned into an ACC doormat. Kind of sad.
Is this what’s in store for Pitt ?
However, I would think that even he realizes that things need to get a lot better
Same thing with Artis at the 4.
I meant bottom of the conference in terms of muscle and pull… I still don’t know how they held enough clout to block UConn in the first place…. Worked out great for Pitt. But who the hell is BC?
Georgetown and Villanova and St. Johns don’t need to be in the conference to be on the schedule. Jamie should be rotating home and homes with all of them.
That’s a no brainer.
Young & Artis were pretty good offensively at the 5 and the 4. The big problem was; that they were soft on defense, and gave up many point blank layups and put-backs.
Of course it didn’t help that just about any opposing PG could dribble/penetrate right past JR, causing all kinds of havoc underneath.
5 games with Notre Dame is better than the Big East could muster… but ya woulda been nice to get them for everything. Still would be.
And PSU would be great in the ACC. Their alumni live in the ACC footprint. They recruit in the ACC footprint…
It will just never happen… too many things in the way.
Very disheartening.
I don’t know about that… I think Pitt has a much higher ceiling in terms of national relevance… nobody cares about UConn in the north east.. let alone nationally.
Even when the win championships in hoops. They talk about them for 2 seconds, then move the spotlight away.
Exactly my point. Although now with Syracuse and ND, along with Pitt.
There is a much more extensive northern tier to the ACC. Before it was BC….and they were on their own.
We shouldn’t be having the same trouble as BC did for that reason alone.
Being in the ACC didn’t stop Heron & Rowan, from committing to Pitt. Dixon just couldn’t hold them.
English adventurer, writer and courtier Sir Walter Raleigh(since we’re talking ACC) is beheaded at the Palace of Westminster for allegedly conspiring treasonably against James I of England in 1603, following pressure from the Spanish government over his attack on their settlement on the Orinoco on his last (1617–18) voyage.
Osman II deposes his uncle Mustafa I as Ottoman emperor (until 1622).
We did not make Miles Bridges Final 8 list 🙁
I would have to thinl it doesn’t say too much about Duquesnse when their AD leaves for Quinnipac
Pitt is still paying him big bucks for several more years……aren’t we.
For all the superlative work he performed !
So when does Greentree start?
Yes another barbaric invention of the British. Drawn and quartered was even worse than beheading, imo.
Even after being dead and buried for several years, Oliver Cromwell’s body was dug up, by order of the Royals and then hanged in chains and if that wasn’t enough. It was then throw into a pit and his severed head was displayed on a pole outside of Westminster Hall for…….4 years.
Summer League info. Starts next week.
