Changes To College Basketball Style

[Steeleshocker]

I wanted to wait until I was on a computer to issue my thoughts on this, as trying to type this on my phone would have driven me nuts.

I'm of the opinion that if the first change is to the shot-clock being shortened, then things will go downhill in a hurry, and scoring will actually get lower.

The reason the 24-second shot clock works well for the NBA right now is it is a ridiculously long season, nobody can play tough, physical defense every game. Moving the shot clock to 24-or-30 seconds without other needed mitigations will actually cause defenses to get more aggressive. Just think about how many times teams against us had the shot clock down under 10 seconds before they shot. They typically ended in poor shots because execution is typically not very good in these situations at the college level. In addition, teams knowing they only have to defend for 24 seconds will cause defenses to get more aggressive and physical. This combination of less time for execution combined with more aggressive defense will result in even lower shooting percentages that the increase in pace will not be able to account for.

In my opinion the first thing to be fixed is the block-charge call. It took several years of emphasis before the NBA got the players adjusted to their new rules, but you can see the difference in fewer players just becoming stationary objects to be run over. There is more athletic play at the rim and the advantage has swung back in favor of the offense. The next thing that all officials should all be run through the NCAA, not this "conference contractor" junk that goes on now. There's a reason why the NCAA tournament is actually more consistent and enjoyable to watch overall. The officials get their cues from the NCAA. These two items will handle the biggest issues most people have regarding the defense having a disproportionate advantage and officials being very inconsistent. I'd imagine those two changes will have trickle down effects into reducing the physical nature of the game and will open up scoring quite a bit.

My primary concern with the 24-or-30 second shot clock is that it is attempting to address the symptom of low scoring, as opposed to the cause. Artificially increasing scoring by increasing possessions is not going to make the game more enjoyable to watch, and it might actually make it uglier. Treat the root of the problem by addressing the overly physical nature of the game and adding consistency to officiating.

Edit: One more item, for those who think WSU may be at a disadvantage if the NCAA tries to reduce the physical nature of the game, remember how well we did last year when the rules supposedly cut out all the "physical play" early in the season. WSU is very good at defense because of their athleticism and ability to be in the right position. Additionally, we don't set up to try and take charges, but instead look to block shots at the rim or build a wall for people to shoot over.

[jocoshock]

Peach baskets...

[The Mad Hatter]

I am in favor of moving to a 30 second shot clock, not to arbitrarily increase scoring, but because the current 35 second clock is so out of whack with basketball an any other level. If NCAA women's basketball can go with a 30 second clock, so can the men.

In terms of style changes, I don't want rule changes that only penalize defenses for physical play. If all you do is create more defensive fouls, it encourages offensive players to try to draw the foul, meaning they will just bull rush wildly into defenders.

What I want to see is a two way emphasis on hand contact, but less emphasis on body contact. This means that I want to see less handchecking and grabbing of off ball players by defenders, but also less push offs by offensive players.

In terms of body contact, as long as defenders stay vertical and don't jump/slide into the offensive player (i.e. either stand their ground or give ground), an offensive player should never draw a foul for plowing into them. Yet, I also don't want to see a bunch of charges called on offensive players as long as they stay vertical (i.e. don't lower the shoulder or push off). If the offensive player makes the shot, they make the shot. These plays don't need to be a choice between a charge and freethrows. I should also note that if a defender loses verticality because of contact initiated by an offensive player (it turns out that arms often come downward as a physiological reaction to being slammed into) that should not be a defensive foul.

My problem with the suggestions of making this about scoring is that it encourages rule adjustments that only focus on defensive contact and ignore the perverse incentives to draw fouls created by not focusing on offensive non-verticality and particularly on having he charge be the main offensive foul called, when it should be called far less than the push off (if you stop defenses from hand-checking, since otherwise offensive players have little option but to use their arms to keep defenders off) or moving screen imho.

[wufan]

The block/charge foul is a huge problem as noted above. Players aren't playing defense, they're just sliding in to draw contact. That has to stop.

Hand checks and grabbing is an issue. Stop that and players can get free to score.

Fix those two things (difficult to do) and then the shot clock can be shortened. Currently teams run a set, a secondary break, and if those don't work then the PG dribbles the ball at the top of the key for 7 seconds until there is less than 10 on the shot clock. Cutting 5 seconds off the clock only forces the move a lot faster.

[wu_shizzle]

30 second shot clock needs to happen. It's a minor change from 35 for slower paced teams, but many teams would never notice.

I thought the point-of-emphasis was a good thing last year. It just seemed like coaches and officials both weren't patient enough to let the players adjust and they scrapped it too soon.