Explaining why men’s, women’s college basketball play different formats
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While the NCAA has worked to close the differences in men’s and women’s college basketball in the NCAA Tournament, there are still some disparities when it comes to the rules.
In women’s tournaments, they play with a smaller basketball, have more host sites for the first and second rounds of games, and have different rules about getting the ball past midcourt. But the biggest difference notable to fans is likely the difference in formats of playing.
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Men’s basketball plays two 20-minute halves with several media timeouts to get players to rest, while the women play four 10-minute quarters. The quarter format is something basketball fans are likely more used to, as most leagues, including the NBA and WNBA, play the same format. The different game format is a newer phenomenon in women’s basketball, with the rule change happening within the last decade.
With the Final Four of Iowa, UConn, NC State and South Carolina, here’s what you need to know about the rule change, why it was made and how it impacts the game:
When did women’s college basketball start playing four quarters?
On June 8, 2015, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved that women’s basketball will play four 10-minute quarters starting in the 2015-16 season. The NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee initially recommended the rule change to enhance the flow of the game. The rule change was also endorsed by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Board of Directors. Each quarter is 10 minutes (equaling 40 minutes, the same total time as 20-minute halves in men’s) and halftime is 15 minutes.
Part of the reason for the rule change was to move away from the 1-and-1 free throws which are more prevalent in men’s basketball after a team reaches seven team fouls. In the four-quarter format, a team will reach the bonus and shoot two free throws on the fifth team foul. Team fouls reset to zero at the start of each quarter.
It was thought at the time that the change would be an experiment that would eventually make its way to the men’s game.
Alignment with professional leagues
Another reason for the change was for women’s college basketball to align with professional leagues, such as the WNBA and FIBA, in playing four quarters instead of two halves. The change makes for a more seamless transition for players from the college game to the professional ranks.
Why does men’s college basketball play two 20-minute halves?
Dr. James Naismith is credited with creating what we know as basketball in December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts. His idea of the game was to have two fifteen-minute halves, with a five minute rest in between, which was included in his 13 rules for the sport. Eventually, time was added and each half became 20 minutes.
In 1951, both college basketball and the NBA changed the format of their games to four 10-minute quarters. While the NBA has since kept…
Read More: Explaining why men’s, women’s college basketball play different formats 2024-04-07 08:04:38