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A Loud Off-Season

© Chad Plunk

Generally the off-season of college basketball is a time for focusing upon recruitment and who may or may not be leaving early for the NBA draft. This year, however, some major changes are in the works. The basketball court itself may look somewhat different next year, and new rules may change the flow of the game. In addition, the world of college football may cause the make-up of the conferences to be entirely different in a year or two, possibly even ending the existence of the Big East, Conference USA, or the Atlantic Ten.

The rule changes are far closer to actually occurring, and would take effect next year if approved. The NCAA rules committee has voted to move the three-point line from 19 feet, 9 inches to 20 feet, 6 and a quarter inches. The committee has also voted to change the shape and size of the lane, widening it by 3 feet, 11 inches and shaping it like a trapezoid. Since the rules committee has approved these changes, the NCAA championship will vote on them in Bonita Springs, Florida on June 24-26.

The committee is hoping to reduce the physicality of the game. The claim is that the wider lane and longer three-point shot will lead to better perimeter passing and improved footwork, since spacing will be better and more clear passing angles will exist. In effect, the committee hopes to model the US college game after the international game, where taller players tend to be more skilled than US players. The American game has often relied upon strong play in the post, rather than face-up shooting by big men.

In the long term, these changes may have the effect that the committee wishes. In the short term, however, big men accustomed to playing post-up basketball will suddenly find that they need to develop movement and outside shooting skills in a hurry if they hope to remain effective. The game will become much more of a finesse game.

Also expect to see more zone coverage than previously, as the spacing changes improve the effectiveness of fast moves accompanied by picks. Man-to-man defenses will have a more difficult time than before.

The change in the distance of the three-point shot will not have as much effect as the widening of the lane. Most college players are capable of hitting the longer three without much difficulty. We will, however, probably see less three-point shooting from power forwards and centers during the first few years following the change.

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