Sports Reporter
Players and fans alike are unsure about the NCAA rules changes in college basketball.
This year the rules committee voted on block/charge rulings and hand-checking and arm-barring in hopes to increase the scoring average, which last year was at its lowest in more than 20 years.
So far, all it has done is have both teams rack up fouls and free throws. The game that left everyone talking was the Seton Hall-Niagara game. The teams combined for 73 personal fouls and 102 free throw attempts.
However, it is early in the season and this was only one game. That alone should not cause teams to hate these new rule changes.
Hand-checking has never been allowed in basketball. Having referees closely enforce this forces players to go back to the fundamentals. Defense is meant to be played with the feet. It’s all about staying between the player and the basket, not pushing and shoving them away.
Many coaches fear that these rule changes are going to slow the game down, but refs are working with the players so they understand what is going to be called a foul and what isn’t.
The other main change is the blocking/charging ruling. These calls have always been disputed and will always be. The point isn’t to make them less controversial, but to make sure players are actually playing defense and not intentionally trying to hurt other players.
The new rule is that once an offensive player is in the motion of shooting or passing, the defensive player cannot try and step in to draw a charge. Also, the defensive player must make sure they are set or it will be called a block.
Overall, these rules should improve the game for players and fans alike.
Although they haven’t been accepted so far, the players will get used to them and adjust. Basketball is a game of just that: adjustments. They are just going to have to go back to playing fundamental basketball and moving their feet on defense.
With more fouls being called, that means more free throws being attempted. These are opportunities for teams to get free points with the clock stopped. All teams need to utilize this and work on improving their free throw percentage as well. Defense and making free throws wins games.
When Kentucky and Michigan State faced off this past week there were a total of 46 fouls and and 53 free throw attempts. Michigan State won after only missing four free throws to Kentucky’s 16. On the same night, the Duke-Kansas game totaled 53 fouls and 63 free throws. Kansas ended up winning and missed eight free throws. Duke missed 12.
These games prove that players are already adjusting to the changes and that games don’t have to be slowed down due to excessive foul calls. On top of that, it proves how important playing defense and making free throws really are.
Yes, there will be more fouls called in games and the scoring average will most likely increase as well, but the overall impact of the game will be a positive one.
almahan@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
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