First we need to come to the reality that TV time outs for commercials are going to be the way of life for a long time. As much as I don't like the commercials TV pays big money for the games. Thus TV is the goose that lays the golden egg.

Now, some suggestions for speeding up the action in between the commercials:

1. All defensive fouls are one shot for two points.
2. If the offensive player makes the shot and is fouled, he gets one free throw shot for two points creating the potential for a 4 points play or a 5 points play if it was a three point shot.
3. Anytime a player is throwing the ball in bounds he can move along the base line.
4. The official does not have to touch the ball before its thrown in bounds
5. If the shooting team delays the game by touching the ball after it goes through the net the other team gets one free throw that counts for two points if made; and keeps the ball after the shot.

6. Each team is given two camera reviews per game to use at their discrection
7. The officials only review for flagrant fouls

8. When Offensive fouls occur the other team can shoot the two points foul shot or take the ball out.
9. Every player gets 6 fouls per game, keeping the best players in the game creating a better game to watch.

All of those suggestions and not one single one that involves lowering the shot clock count?

Some interesting ideas - I don't think you can mess w/the central piece of the game that is good freethrow shooting one pt at a time.

My takes:
1. Shot clock=30 seconds
2. Shot clock reset to 20 seconds when hitting rim and retained by same team. Why? They don't need the 10 seconds to get the ball to front court.
3. When fouled in the bonus, option to take ball out (w/new 20 second shot clock) or shoot free throws - this would 1) add an interesting strategic element to the game throughout -bad FT shooter is fouled, do you take ball out? and 2) end the nonsense w/endless fouling in final 2 minutes.
4. Each team has 2 reviews to use. No other reviews allowed except possible Flagrant 2 calls that could lead to an ejection.
5. Move 3pt line to International - opens up the lane more.
6. Tie-ups go to team on Defense always - if you can't keep the ball from being tied up, shame on you offense. Possession arrow for true lose ball / no one in possession.
7. Players can't call time out when 2 or more opposing players are within 3? feet. Ends the bail-out time-out.
8. Its almost always a block. Players need to get out of the way.

No fouls. Total free-for-all. In turn this pulls in the UFC crowd and everyone wins!

1. Centralize officiating, conferences should not control this.
2. Reduce the shut clock to 30 seconds
3. Any timeout called within 30 seconds of the 16-12-8-4 minute mark is the media timeout
4. When a player fouls out, get rid of the mandatory stoppage, if the coach needs a timeout he should have to call one.
5. Widen the lane, move the three point line back and increase the restricted area
6. Cut timeouts to just 30 seconds.
7. For the NCAA tournament have an NBA style replay center, it would speed up reviews and increase accuracy.

In the last minute of play a foul should be followed with free throws and the ball back. Thus ending the ability of the losing team to stall and stretch out the game.

The problem isn't that the games last too long; it's that there is too little action within the game. too much standing around. 24 second clock won't cure that - but they'll be able to stand around a shorter time.

(04-09-2015 10:28 PM)FargoBison Wrote:  1. Centralize officiating, conferences should not control this.
2. Reduce the shut clock to 30 seconds
3. Any timeout called within 30 seconds of the 16-12-8-4 minute mark is the media timeout
4. When a player fouls out, get rid of the mandatory stoppage, if the coach needs a timeout he should have to call one.
5. Widen the lane, move the three point line back and increase the restricted area
6. Cut timeouts to just 30 seconds.
7. For the NCAA tournament have an NBA style replay center, it would speed up reviews and increase accuracy.

The rest of the world is at 24 Seconds Shot Clock...the NCAA should do the same.

(04-09-2015 10:21 PM)jgkojak Wrote:  Some interesting ideas - I don't think you can mess w/the central piece of the game that is good freethrow shooting one pt at a time.

My takes:
1. Shot clock=30 seconds
2. Shot clock reset to 20 seconds when hitting rim and retained by same team. Why? They don't need the 10 seconds to get the ball to front court.
3. When fouled in the bonus, option to take ball out (w/new 20 second shot clock) or shoot free throws - this would 1) add an interesting strategic element to the game throughout -bad FT shooter is fouled, do you take ball out? and 2) end the nonsense w/endless fouling in final 2 minutes.
4. Each team has 2 reviews to use. No other reviews allowed except possible Flagrant 2 calls that could lead to an ejection.
5. Move 3pt line to International - opens up the lane more.
6. Tie-ups go to team on Defense always - if you can't keep the ball from being tied up, shame on you offense. Possession arrow for true lose ball / no one in possession.
7. Players can't call time out when 2 or more opposing players are within 3? feet. Ends the bail-out time-out.
8. Its almost always a block. Players need to get out of the way.

On 6, why not have a legit jump ball? Otherwise, keep it as is, that takes away zero time.

How about a forfeit option? It would skew stats but if a game is completely out of hand (we'll say 25 points or more in differential) at the second half under 4:00 timeout then both coaches can agree to end the game. It might even save an injury or two.

One thing that can be done is have a soccer style clock that is set and continuously runs, even during timeouts and only stops in the final 2-5 minutes.

(04-09-2015 10:45 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 10:28 PM)FargoBison Wrote:  1. Centralize officiating, conferences should not control this.
2. Reduce the shut clock to 30 seconds
3. Any timeout called within 30 seconds of the 16-12-8-4 minute mark is the media timeout
4. When a player fouls out, get rid of the mandatory stoppage, if the coach needs a timeout he should have to call one.
5. Widen the lane, move the three point line back and increase the restricted area
6. Cut timeouts to just 30 seconds.
7. For the NCAA tournament have an NBA style replay center, it would speed up reviews and increase accuracy.

The rest of the world is at 24 Seconds Shot Clock...the NCAA should do the same.

Baby steps...coaches will never go for a 24 second shot clock.

Shortened shot clock

fouls should go:
1-1
2 shots
2 shots and ball back

I hate the unlimited claw your way back into the game by fouling strategy. I don't mind it a few times in a close one but there should be a disincentive to overusing it.

(04-09-2015 10:28 PM)FargoBison Wrote:  1. Centralize officiating, conferences should not control this.
2. Reduce the shut clock to 30 seconds
3. Any timeout called within 30 seconds of the 16-12-8-4 minute mark is the media timeout
4. When a player fouls out, get rid of the mandatory stoppage, if the coach needs a timeout he should have to call one.
5. Widen the lane, move the three point line back and increase the restricted area
6. Cut timeouts to just 30 seconds.
7. For the NCAA tournament have an NBA style replay center, it would speed up reviews and increase accuracy.

I love that one, it may be the best suggestion yet.

Number 6 is done in the Tournament late in each half and perhaps should be extended to the regular season.

I don't like foul shots being two points apiece, especially after making a bucket. That puts too much power in the refs hands.

(04-09-2015 10:51 PM)FargoBison Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 10:45 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 10:28 PM)FargoBison Wrote:  1. Centralize officiating, conferences should not control this.
2. Reduce the shut clock to 30 seconds
3. Any timeout called within 30 seconds of the 16-12-8-4 minute mark is the media timeout
4. When a player fouls out, get rid of the mandatory stoppage, if the coach needs a timeout he should have to call one.
5. Widen the lane, move the three point line back and increase the restricted area
6. Cut timeouts to just 30 seconds.
7. For the NCAA tournament have an NBA style replay center, it would speed up reviews and increase accuracy.

The rest of the world is at 24 Seconds Shot Clock...the NCAA should do the same.

Baby steps...coaches will never go for a 24 second shot clock.

But then how would Princeton and teams with no players taller than 6'6" compete? There'd be some serious blowouts under that scenario.

(04-09-2015 10:51 PM)4x4hokies Wrote:  Shortened shot clock

fouls should go:
1-1
2 shots
2 shots and ball back

I hate the unlimited claw your way back into the game by fouling strategy. I don't mind it a few times in a close one but there should be a disincentive to overusing it.

It used to be worse, there used to only be the 1-1 in college basketball. Perhaps they could go to a limitless fouling rule in the final 30 seconds but invoke the two shots and the ball after, say, 13 fouls, before that.

(04-09-2015 10:51 PM)4x4hokies Wrote:  Shortened shot clock

fouls should go:
1-1
2 shots
2 shots and ball back

I hate the unlimited claw your way back into the game by fouling strategy. I don't mind it a few times in a close one but there should be a disincentive to overusing it.

+1

1. Make officials answer to the media after each game, explaining the reasoning for controversial calls in detail
2. Deduct pay from officials for egregiously bad calls made after a review
3. Rate officials after each game
3.a. Officials with a negative rating to be fired each season
3.b. Officials with barely positive ratings may be rehired, but only at a reduced pay scale

If the NIT is any indication, going to a 30 second shot clock won't make any significant difference. That rule isn't intended to shorten the game so much as it is to increase scoring. But changing the outcome of a game from 65-63 to 67-65 doesn't affect how interesting/exciting it is.

Many of the proposals here are designed to reverse previous changes in either rules or practice which were put in place to help losing teams overcome late game deficits, and thus keep eyeballs on the game longer. If, for example, the rules allowed the leading team to elect to take the ball out of bounds instead of shooting foul shots late in the game, which some propose, then a lot of fans are going to tune out once such a team gets an 8 point lead. It's basically game over.

The rules, both in college and the NBA, are not intended to keep games fair. They are intended to keep them interesting. Because this is, after all, the entertainment business.

yeah, the fouling at the end of the games part isn't changing.

interesting read about the shot clock from Monday week and a half ago:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca.../70673490/

The early returns show the potential for a few more possessions per game, but nothing substantial that signals a fundamental change in the game. Entering Monday each team in the CBI, which holds its championship on Monday night, and the NIT and CIT, which resume Tuesday, has averaged four more points and 3.5 more possessions per game than it did during the regular season, according to possession data from KenPom.com. That would make the game as fast as it has been since 2002-03.

and maybe more interesting:
Thirty seconds offers a nice balance, and though there have been fears that teams would be less efficient under even the five-second change. In the CBI, CIT and NIT, teams have actually been more efficient under the new shot clock than they were during the season, going from an average of 1.046 points per possession to 1.063 points per possession.

to me both pieces of data indicate that it's pretty much a done deal.