NCAA Approves Game-Flow Changes to MBB

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved of some changes Tuesday to help enhance the flow of a college basketball game on Tuesday that will go into affect starting the 2025-26 men's basketball season.

The main changes include adding a coach's challenge at any point of a game and various enhancements surrounding officials to mitigate delays of game, time spent on monitors to review plays, etc.

The NCAA revealed much more in a statement released Tuesday:

"Under the coach's challenge rule, teams must have a timeout to request an instant replay review challenge. If the instant replay review challenge is successful, teams will be allowed to have one additional video review challenge for the rest of the game, including overtime. If the first video review challenge is unsuccessful, the team loses the ability to challenge the rest of the game. "

This is a similar challenge system the NBA has adopted. Many have lauded the challenge system but have criticized how much time it takes for officials to review certain plays, further interfering with the flow of the game.

"Officials can initiate video reviews on basket interference/goaltending and restricted arc plays in the last two minutes of the game and into overtime. Recent data shows these reviews caused minimal game interruptions. NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee members think the coach's challenge will have a significant impact on the flow of the game. Officials cannot conduct video review on out-of-bounds calls unless through a coach's challenge.

"In considering the decisions last month, the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee had conversations about ways to continue this direction in the upcoming years, which includes positive momentum for moving the men's game from halves to quarters. The committee realizes there are hurdles to implementing the quarter format to the game, including the structuring of media timeouts to accommodate commercial inventory."

There has also been tweaks to rules on an offensive player and their continuous motion going towars the basket.

"Under the changes to the continuous motion rule, an offensive player who ends his dribble going toward the basket and absorbs contact from the defense will be permitted to pivot or complete the step the player is on and finish the field goal attempt."

Many of these changes mirror those of the NBA and should yield a better flow to a college basketball game, especially those that are closer towards the end.