COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The NJCAA Executive Committee met earlier this month via conference call with the chairs of each divisional committee of men's and women's basketball to discuss the recent NCAA playing rules changes released on June 8th.

The Executive Committee and the basketball committee chairs approved for the NJCAA to follow the recent NCAA Rule changes for men's and women's basketball for the 2015-16 season with the exception of the change in the men's defensive arc.

The change in the arc will be adopted in the NJCAA for the 2016-17 basketball season.

The Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved a package of proposals and areas of focus for officials in men's basketball to improve the pace of play, better balance offense with defense and reduce the physicality of the sport.

The key areas officials will focus on in the upcoming season are:

• Perimeter defense, particularly on the dribbler. 
• Physicality in post play.
• Screening, particularly moving screens and requiring the screener to be stationary.
• Block/charge plays.
• Allowing greater freedom of movement for players without the ball.

Pace of play

With an eye on reducing inaction, the panel approved several proposals to improve the pace of play. The most significant is reducing the shot clock to 30 seconds. The shot clock was last reduced for the 1993-94 season when it went from 45 seconds to 35.

Teams will also have one fewer team timeout (only three can carryover instead of four) in the second half. Officials will focus more on resuming play quickly after a timeout and will issue a delay-of-game warning when a team does not comply and a one-shot technical foul on subsequent violations.

The rest of the package designed to improve the pace of play includes:

• Adjusting the media timeout procedures to allow a timeout called within 30 seconds of a break (at the 16:30 mark) or at any time after the scheduled media timeout becomes the media timeout.
• Removing the ability for a coach to call timeout when the ball is live.
• Allowing a total of only 10 seconds to advance the ball to the front court (with a few exceptions).
• Reducing the amount of time allotted to replace a disqualified player from 20 to 15 seconds.

Restricted-area arc

The panel also approved the expansion of the restricted-area arc from 3 feet to 4 feet. This arc would be effective in 2015-16 for Division I and 2016-17 for Divisions II and III. Moving the arc a foot farther from the basket is part of a continued focus on reducing the number of collisions at the basket.

Faking fouls
During the use of a video review to see if a possible flagrant foul occurred, the panel approved a rule that would allow officials to penalize players who fake fouls. The NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee felt that players trying to draw fouls by deception is a growing issue.

Other changes

Other proposals approved by the panel include:

• Allowing officials to use the monitor to review a potential shot clock violation on made field goals throughout the entire game.
• Making Class B technical fouls (hanging on the rim and delaying the resumption of play, for example) one-shot technical fouls. Previously, two shots were granted for these types of technical fouls.
• Eliminating the five-second closely guarded rule while dribbling the ball.
• Removing the prohibition on dunking in pregame warmups and at halftime.

2015-16 Women's Basketball Changes

There are also several changes ahead for women's basketball. NCAA women's basketball games will be played in four 10-minute quarters next season, away from the 20-minute halves the sport has always used in NCAA competition.

Teams will now reach the bonus and shoot two free throws on the fifth team foul in each quarter. Previously, teams reached a one-and-one bonus on the seventh team foul of each half and reached the double bonus (two shots) on the 10th team foul.

In the four-quarter format, team fouls reset to zero at the start of each quarter. However, if a team reaches the bonus in the fourth quarter, that team would remain in the bonus during any additional overtime periods.

Advancing the ball

The panel approved a rule that allows teams to advance the ball to the frontcourt following a timeout immediately after a made basket in the last 59.9 seconds of the fourth quarter and any overtime periods.

Teams also will be allowed to advance the ball to the frontcourt after securing the ball from a rebound or a change of possession. In these scenarios, the ball would be inbounded at the 28-foot mark on the side of the court where the scorer's table is located.

10-second backcourt exceptions
NCAA women's basketball implemented the 10-second backcourt rule during the 2013-14 season.

A team will not receive a new 10-second backcourt count when a throw-in results from the following:

• The ball is deflected out of bounds by the defense.
• There is a held ball and the possession arrow favors the offensive team.
• A technical foul is called on the offensive team while the ball is in its backcourt.

Post defense

The panel approved a new rule that allows defenders to place a forearm or an open hand with a bend in the elbow on an offensive post player with the ball whose back is to the basket.

Bands and amplified music

In an effort to improve the overall fan experience, bands or amplified music may be played during any dead-ball situation during a women's basketball game. Previously, rules allowed music to be played only during timeouts and intermission.