Two women’s basketball teams will test a bevy of experimental rules during an exhibition game next month.
On a Monday teleconference, the Women’s Basketball Rules Committee supported a request from the University of Connecticut to use several experimental rules in their exhibition game against Vanguard University on Nov. 8. The request was made in an attempt to see how the rules, several of which have been discussed by the rules committee in recent years, might provide the committee with information to consider in the future as it continues to identify ways to enhance women’s basketball.
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which must approve the recommendation before it can be implemented, is expected to review it in the coming days.
If approved, Connecticut and Vanguard will play an exhibition game with the following rules:
- The width of the lane will be 16 feet, which is 4 feet wider than NCAA play.
- The 3-point line will be at the international distance of 22 feet, 1 inch. The NCAA line is 20 feet, 9 inches from the basket.
- A team will not be granted a timeout unless it has possession of the ball. (If a team scores a field goal, it will not be granted a timeout immediately after the basket, which can occur under NCAA rules.)
- The game will be played with a 24-second shot clock instead of a 30-second shot clock.
- A team must advance the ball into the frontcourt in 8 seconds instead of 10 seconds.
- The game will be played with a men’s basketball instead of a women’s basketball.
Additionally, the teams will play with different substitution rules:
- Both teams are allowed to substitute on dead balls after the official is done communicating with the scorer’s table.
- Both teams are allowed to substitute when the ball becomes dead following a successful last, or only, free throw.
- Neither team is allowed to substitute when the ball is at the disposal of a player who is inbounding the ball.
The game clock will stop following made field goals with two minutes or less remaining in the fourth quarter or overtime periods.
Statistics from the game as well as regular season games for both teams will be compared and submitted to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee for analysis after the upcoming season.
Length of game, missed layups, turnovers, shooting percentage, 3-point shooting percentage, number of possessions for each team, number of backcourt calls and number of fouls in the post position will also be tracked.