Your favorite basketball players from the SWAC, MEAC, Tennessee State and Hampton should be getting up some extra shots this summer. This upcoming season all Division I basketball teams will see the three-point line moved from 20 feet, 9 inches to 22 feet, 1¾ inches. For die-hard basketball fans that is the international distance.
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There’s no need to become the third Splash Brother unless you are into that type of thing. The NBA distance is still the longest yard, at 23 feet, 9 inches from the top of the key down to 22 feet in the corners.
Division II and Division III schools won’t adopt the rule change until the 2020-21 season. According to the NCAA rules committee, the extended three point shot will clear the lane for more action to the hoop and improve offensive spacing.
The rule change was approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel. It will go into effect next season for Division I but will wait until 2020-21 for Divisions II and III.
Not your Daddy’s three-point line
The current 3-point line is 20 feet, 9 inches; it was moved back from 19 feet, 9 inches prior to the 2008-09 season. The NBA 3-point line ranges from 22 feet in the corners out to 23 feet, 9 inches.
According to the committee, moving the 3-point line back will clear the lane for more drives to the rim, make 3-point shots more challenging and therefore less prevalent, and improve offensive spacing.
The college three-pointer was last moved back prior to the 2008-09 season. It was then 19 feet, 9 inches. In a decade the college three-point line has moved back nearly three feet.
The Playing Rules Oversight Panel also approved resetting the shot clock to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound.
Three other proposals were also approved:
- Players being assessed technical fouls for using derogatory language about an opponent’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability;
- Allowing coaches to call live-ball timeouts in the last two minutes of the second half and overtime;
- Conducting instant replay review for goaltending or basket interference calls in the final two minutes of the second half and overtime.