New NCAA Rules on hand-checking

[Potomac Griz]

Sounds like some coaches are worried it's going to really fuck up the flow of the game, leading to a ton of whistles, lots of free throw shooting, and punishment for physical play. All I guess to try to make for higher scoring more entertaining games. Not sure what's entertaining about both teams taking turns shooting free throws all game

Here is the article

In the University of Dayton's second exhibition game there were 70 fouls called and 96 free throws attempted between the two teams. And no that wasn't an overtime game.
In the Louisville vs Kentucky Wesleyan game there were 64 fouls called and 88 free throws attempted.

Kind of scary... hopefully those are just anomalies in exhibition games and it won't be actually THAT bad often in the regular season. Just looking around at other teams though and the exhibition games, there are quite a few in the 50-60 range for fouls called.

 

[GrizLA]

Is this new this year? I thought they began that last year...I see your point but sometimes those hand checks are just a bit more than they should be. I saw a player literally shoved into the bench last year and have his forehead stiched up at a UCLA game...No foul called...

 

[Potomac Griz]

Is this new this year? I thought they began that last year...I see your point but sometimes those hand checks are just a bit more than they should be. I saw a player literally shoved into the bench last year and have his forehead stiched up at a UCLA game...No foul called...

Looks like it's new. Here is another article about it from a couple weeks ago. Could be they got more strict in what was allowed last year, but this year they seem to be going almost towards a "no touching" type of rule.

Apparently these changes are being made in response to scoring in college basketball being at the lowest level since the early 80s. I personally like the fact that defense is a big part of college basketball though. I don't want to see College Basketball go the way of the NBA where good defense is rare, and players just get out of each others way (especially if it's a star player).

Could be people are just over reacting too...it wouldn't be the first time that's happened over a rule change. I guess we'll find out soon enough once the real games start. If all of a sudden it becomes much more common in real games (non-exhibition) for there to be 50-60 fouls in a game, which from what I've seen so far is very common in exhibition games this year, then there may be a problem.

On the bright side though, if it is as bad as people think it's going to be, every home game for the Griz should result in free chili coupons for people who attend! Wendy's chili is pretty tasty too when spiced up with jalapenos and Sriracha sauce.

 

[bengalfan]

It's going to be a lot tougher to get a charging call, too. The new rule interpretation states that the defensive player has to be in legal guarding position before the offensive player raises the ball to shoot -- rather than before he leaves the ground. Bill Evans has said he's not even teaching his players to try to take charges this year.

On the good news side, I talked to Big Sky official Chris Rastater before the ISU exhibition game on Monday and he said he's not seeing a dramatic change in the way the exhibition games have been called so far. He said the emphasis is on freedom of movement for offensive players, but it hasn't really affected the games he's called. And there was no noticeable difference in the ISU-Dickinson game Monday night.