NCAA committee calls for switch to 30-second shot clock

By Spectrum Sports Staff Florida

PUBLISHED 11:07 AM ET May. 15, 2015

The NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee has recommended reducing the shot clock from 35 to 30 seconds among a series of changes aimed at speeding up a game that has reached historic lows in scoring.

The NCAA experimented with a 30-second shot clock during the NIT and CIT postseason tournaments and the rules committee recommended making it permanent for the 2015-16 season. The shot clock was last reduced for the 1993-94 season, from 45 to 35 seconds.

The changes still must be approved by the NCAA's Playing Rules Oversight Committee.

Scoring in college basketball hit an all-time low in 2012-13 and nearly matched it last season, when teams scored 67.6 points per game.

Some coaches have been concerned that the shorter shot clock would lead to more "soft" pressure and zone defenses to slow teams down, along with more last-second desperation shots to beat the shot clock.

The committee also recommended extending the restricted arc for block/charge calls from three to four feet to reduce the number of collisions under the basket.

The committee called for numerous changes to speed up the pace of play, including the reduction of one second-half timeout per team, a limit on the time allowed to replace a disqualified player and removing the ability of a coach to call timeout on a live ball.

Teams also would have a total of 10 seconds to get the ball to the front court and any timeout called within 30 seconds of a media timeout would be counted as the media timeout.

The committee recommended eliminating the 5-second, closely guarded rule while dribbling the ball and changing Class B technical fouls - like hanging on the rim and delay of game - to one shot instead of two.

Officials also would be allowed to use video review on shot clock violations throughout the game and will place a bigger emphasis on reducing physical play, both inside and along the perimeter on screens.