Rule 1-15.3: It is no longer necessary to gain the consent of the visiting coach in order to be able to use a composite ball as the game ball. Previously, mutual consent of the competing coaches was necessary in order to use such a ball. Rationale: The Division I Men’s Basketball Committee intends to use a composite ball for the NCAA Division I tournament starting in 2003.
Rule 2-13.7.e, 4-26.2, 6-3.1, 7-4.1, 7-5.14: The procedure for putting the ball back in play after a simultaneous personal foul is called when there is team control or when a team has possession of the ball for a throw-in has been changed. Under the change, after the fouls have been charged, play shall resume with a throw-in from a designated spot, with the ball being awarded to that team with no reset of the shot clock. In addition, a simultaneous personal foul should not be listed under the definition of a common foul.
Rule 4-18.5, 4-18.6, 9-8.1, 9-8.3: The count for a three-second violation will be in effect during an interrupted dribble. Rationale: This makes officiating consistent for any three-second violation. Previously, the three-second count stopped during an interrupted dribble but continued during a loose ball.
Rule 4: Added a definition that an inadvertent whistle occurs anytime an official blows the whistle as an oversight and does not have a call to make. In such a case, there shall be no reset of the shot clock and the ball shall be put back into play to the team that was in control of the ball before the ball became dead by the whistle. The alternating-possession arrow will be used with a reset when there was no player or team control at the time of the whistle. When an inadvertent whistle happens during a throw-in, the ball goes back to the throw-in team at the same designated spot.
Rule 5-9.10: Substitution shall not be allowed when an official stops the game clock after a successful field goal in the last 59.9 seconds of the second half or the last 59.9 seconds of any extra period when an administrative mistake or inadvertent whistle occurs. Rationale: By rule, substitutions were allowed in these infrequent situations in previous years, which the committee felt was not fair.
Rule 8-1.4.a: During free throws, the two lane spaces closest to the free-thrower shall remain unoccupied. All other rules regarding the free-throw lane remain as is. Rationale: To reduce the chances for taunting and disconcertion of the free-thrower.
Rule 10-21: No free throws will be awarded to the offended team for a foul committed by a member of the team in control of the ball when the bonus is in effect, as they were previously. Instead, the offended team will be awarded possession at a designated spot (out of bounds). Such a foul will continue to count toward disqualification and toward the team-foul total. This was an experimental rule last year. Under the previous rule, the offended team shot the bonus free throws.
POINTS OF EMPHASIS
The emphasis on rough play will continue for the third straight year, with special attention on rough play by the offensive player in the low post.
Intentional fouls and fouls committed off the ball in end-of-game situations must be called and penalized as described in the rules.
Officials shall ensure that a player has possession of the ball before granting a timeout. If it is not clear that a player on the team requesting the timeout has possession, officials shall err on the side of not granting the timeout.
EXPERIMENTAL RULES
Three experimental rules will be used in the certified games played before January 1, 2003, and also in the exhibition games played by Division II and Division III teams. The three experimental rules are:
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