Women's basketball is shaking things up this year in a big way and a few not so big ways. Are you caught up with all the new rules? Here's a quick guide to get you started.
 
The most obvious change to the game will be how it's played. The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Committee approved moving away from two 20-minute halves to four 10-minute quarters. The NCAA Women's Basketball Rules Committee, which initially recommended the rule change, believes the four-quarter format will enhance the flow of the game. It will also establish a standardization of play across all levels of play (high school, college, WNBA and international).
 
Another change fans will notice immediately is the elimination of the one-and-bonus. Now when a team reaches five fouls in one quarter, the two-shot bonus will be immediately enforced with the fouls returning to zero at the start of each quarter. In the case of overtime, however, fouls from the fourth quarter will carry over.
 
A not so obvious change that may better enhance the flow, is the elimination of two media time outs. In the past a media timeout was automatically called four times in a half at the 16, 12, eight and four minute marks. Now media time outs will be call when play stops after the five minute mark of each quarter. Those four, along with the quarter breaks after the first and third quarters, will give the game just six extended time outs.
 
ADVANCING THE BALL
One rule that may begin as a bit confusing will be "advancing the ball". The panel also approved a rule that allows teams to advance the ball to the frontcourt following a timeout immediately after a basket is made 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.
 
The committee made the initial recommendation because it felt this change would add more excitement to the offensive possessions at the ends of games because teams would no longer be required to travel the length of the court after inbounding the ball.
 
10-SECOND BACKCOURT EXCEPTIONS
In the 2013-14 season, women's basketball implemented the 10-second backcourt. Now 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 arrows favors the offensive team
                • A technical foul is called on the offensive team while the ball is in the backcourt
 
POST DEFENSE
Have you ever seen a post player with her forearm on her opponent's back and called for a foul? That rule has been fixed. 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
New rules to improve the fan experience include the playing of the band or amplified music. It may be played during ANY deadball situation during a women's basketball game. Previously rules allowed music to be played only during timeouts and intermission.
 
PROPOSALS TWEAKED
The committee has tweaked two of its timeout-centric recommendations for next season. The panel will discuss the potential rule changes during a conference call.
 
Under the new proposal, one media timeout in televised games would be permitted each quarter. Media timeouts would occur at the first dead ball at or below the five-minute mark of each quarter and at the end of the first and third quarters. However, if a team calls timeout before the five-minute mark, that would be treated as a media timeout. Additionally, the first called team timeout in the second half would be treated as a media timeout.
 
In the proposed format change, teams would have four timeouts (three 30-second timeouts and one 60-second timeout). A team may use the 60-second timeout at the discretion of the coach during the first or second half of the game. Teams would be allowed to carry over three of those timeouts into the second half. The committee's original proposal recommended that teams be allowed to carry only two timeouts into the second half.
 
Each team would be awarded one 30-second timeout in each overtime period, plus any unused timeouts remaining from the second half. In non-media games, teams would have five timeouts (three 30s and two 60s). As many as four of the timeouts could carry over into the second half.
 
The committee also recommended that, in the last two minutes of the game, officials can determine whether a shot-clock violation occurred by looking at when the clock runs down to zero in addition to listening for when the buzzer sounds.
 
The season tips off Friday, November 13 at the McKenzie Arena. The Mocs host McNeese State in the preseason WNIT with a 6:30 p.m. tip. Tickets are on sale now at the Roundhouse box office. Purchase season tickets to all 14 home games or opt for the Four-Pack that includes the McNeese State and UConn games as well as any two other of your choosing.