May 5, 2011
Women’s basketball may have a few very noticeable rule changes next season when the teams take the floor. On Wednesday, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee recommended a number of rule changes, including moving the three-point line back a foot to 20’9″. However, the changes will not go into effect until approved by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is scheduled to meet on June 9.
In addition to moving the three-point line back, the committee also voted to ask teams to use a 10-second half-court rule in closed scrimmages and exhibition games next season. Further, the committee recommended adding a restricted area arc located three feet from the center of the basket in which a defender cannot legally take a charge. The committee also recommended using the terms flagrant 1 and flagrant 2 fouls like in the NBA.
The NCAA moved the men’s three-point line back to 20’9″ before the 2008-09 season and the women’s committee asked teams to track the distance of three-pointers last season.
Overall, 194 institutions reported back to the committee and the data collected showed most of the attempts and makes came from behind the 20-foot, 9-inch line. Of the 5,026 shots recorded, 3,303 (63.7%) came from behind the 20-foot, 9-inch line.
“Change is always tough, but we think this will open up some things offensively in the women’s game,” said Rice Senior Associate Athletics Director Leslie Claybrook, who chairs the committee. “The committee had great conversations prior to and during the meeting about the three-point line. We think this can be a game-changer for women’s basketball and open up the inside play as well.”
10-Second Rule
In scrimmages and in exhibition games next season, teams will be asked to report the number of turnovers, fouls, points and other relevant data to determine the effect the rule has.
Some in the committee believed that if a 10-second rule is added, the shot clock should be increased to 35 seconds instead of the current 30 seconds.
“The debate is whether this will be an offensive tool or a defensive tool,” Claybrook said. “We haven’t gotten any consensus on this, but after collecting more data, we can decide what is best for women’s basketball.”
Restricted area arc
The recommendation to add a restricted area arc three feet from the center of the basket would go into effect in the 2011-12 season and would need to be clearly marked.
“We wanted to look at the contact that is occurring under the basket,” Claybrook said. “This is a health and safety issue for our student-athletes, and we were also concerned with how it looks visually to the fans.”
Flagrant Fouls
Fouls that are considered to be more than a common foul will be termed flagrant 1 and flagrant 2 fouls. Flagrant 1 fouls were previously called intentional fouls and flagrant 2 fouls were previously flagrant fouls.
The NCAA gave an example of a flagrant 1 foul being when a player swings an elbow and makes contact with an opponent above the shoulders. The team whose player was struck would receive two free throws and possession of the ball.
A flagrant 2 foul would be when player swings an elbow excessively and makes contact with an opponent above the shoulders. The player who threw the elbow would be ejected from the game and the opposing team would receive two free throws and the ball.
