Jay Bilas column: How to improve college hoops

[BleedGopher]

per Bilas' column:

It is over-coached, too slow and allows a level of physicality that takes away from the beauty of the sport.

But we can and should do something about it; we need to make college basketball more watchable and a better fan experience. And part of the solution is admitting the NBA has a better product because it calls fouls and allows its players to use their athleticism on both ends of the floor.

Let the talent shine.

Right now the men's game is unbalanced, with too many shots coming from 3-point range because the risk of the shot is less than the reward. If the NCAA adopted the NBA 3-point distance of 23 feet, 9 inches, it would improve floor spacing, open up better driving lanes and put the appropriate risk back into the shot.

At the same time, the lane should be widened to match the NBA lane, with the same restricted area or charge circle. What's the objection? These are great athletes that we often say should be allowed to go to the NBA early, yet they cannot handle playing the game with pro rules? Nonsense. When college teams go overseas for foreign tours, they do very well with the shorter shot clock, longer 3-point shot and wider lane.

One last thought (and it's a no-brainer): Allow the NBA throw-in from the frontcourt in the final two minutes of regulation and overtime. This move not only increases excitement and makes the game more enjoyable for fans, but it allows for greater strategy on the part of both the offense and the defense.

Look, I love college basketball. It is a great game, and can be the best game. But when you love something, you take care of it -- even when the truth is painful.

http://m.espn.go.com/ncb/story?storyId=9867778&src=desktop&wjb

Go Gophers!!

 

[Bad Gopher]

I usually like Jay's perspective, but I have a bad reaction to making college BB more like the NBA. If I liked the NBA, I would watch it on the other channel. It's an inferior product.

"...even when the truth is painful." Not sure what truth or what pain he's talking about. The biggest threat to the college game right now is the watering down of the Tournament through expansion.

 

[mplarson7]

I usually like Jay's perspective, but I have a bad reaction to making college BB more like the NBA. If I liked the NBA, I would watch it on the other channel. It's an inferior product.

"...even when the truth is painful." Not sure what truth or what pain he's talking about. The biggest threat to the college game right now is the watering down of the Tournament through expansion.

I agree. College basketball is NOT an extension of the NBA. I can't stand to watch NBA, it's not true basketball to me.

 

[CentralGopher]

I don't mind some of the ideas but don't like watching the NBA. NBA bores me to death whereas I find college bball fun and exciting to watch.

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

I agree with everything other than allowing throw-ins from half court. I hate that aspect of the NBA. If you just got scored on, I don't know why its fair to inbound from half court. Terrible.

I like moving the 3 point line out for two reasons. One it opens spacing up more. Two, you should have to earn three-points. Too many players are shooting threes now because its not hard enough.

I would also like to move the shot clock down to 30. 24 is a little too fast, but I think 30 is perfect.

I prefer the college game over the NBA any day of the week. However, lets not get confused on why college ball is better. It's not the different rules, its the enforecement of rules (or lack thereof).

 

[Gdizzle]

I agree with Bilas. What is the actual reason for the shorter 3-point line? I feel like that is too much a part of the college game.


Also, how can anyone say the NBA isn't exciting to watch? Just watch this fast-break lip from last night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aTdAiuOmvw

 

[WanderingGopher]

Disagree with Jay on this one. College game is way more exciting than the NBA and I'd have no desire to change that. You could tweak a couple of the rules, though, without turning college games into the NBA. Moving the shot clock down to 30 or so would be fine. Half court throw-ins (actually they're well beyond half court) is a terrible idea, very unfair IMO.

I've sometimes thought the length of the college game should be extended (40 minutes to 44 or something) and fouls inc'd from 5 to 6 ... but I think that would take some of the fun out of it because it would make upsets more difficult.

 

[CentralGopher]

I agree with Bilas. What is the actual reason for the shorter 3-point line? I feel like that is too much a part of the college game.


Also, how can anyone say the NBA isn't exciting to watch? Just watch this fast-break lip from last night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aTdAiuOmvw

2 hours of boredom with about 5 seconds of lazy running and zero attempt to stop the fast break.

 

[dingo]

I actually agree with Bilas's first sentence

"It is over-coached, too slow and allows a level of physicality that takes away from the beauty of the sport."

I would say the way he is going about it is wrong.

I like the three point line where it is, as I think it has brought greater parity to college hoops with smaller schools, led by a team full of good shooters can upset any team.

He doesnt address the "over coached" part and actually goes the other way asking for the NBA half court after timeout. Instead I would go back to only allowing players call timeouts, take away 1 or 2 a half and give the game back to the players.

 

[Gdizzle]

I like the three point line where it is, as I think it has brought greater parity to college hoops with smaller schools, led by a team full of good shooters can upset any team.

True. But would this parity be greatly affected by a longer 3-point shot? I would be interested in seeing some analytics regarding the risk/reward ratio for the 3-point shot at varied distances.

 

[GopherinPhilly]

The over coached issued can be solved by reducing time outs. They get 5 plus one every four minutes for TV. Why in the hell do they need the 5 if they get the 4 per half for TV.

Reduce the time outs to 2 per half plus the TV time outs and it changes things.

Also, when the refs go to a table review, the players on the court should not be allowed to go to the bench. They should have to stand inside the lane and the coach on the sidelines. It is so unfair to give free time outs to teams during shot & foul reviews.

 

[Monty519]

2 hours of boredom with about 5 seconds of lazy running and zero attempt to stop the fast break.

I think you're stuck in the early 2000s NBA. The product is much better now than it was early post-Jordan era. You have way more teams that are fluent at moving the ball around than there were before. The best teams play a great brand of basketball IMO. Watch the Wolves this year, with Adelman's offense and Rubio at the point. Watch the ball movement and player movement. It is good team ball, trust me.

Of course you have your teams that play a lot of isolation ball that can be boring to watch, but it's definitely shifting in the NBA toward that faster tempo, better ball movement type of game.

As far as changes to the NCAA game, I wouldn't mind seeing a 30 second clock, extended 3 pt line, and less timeouts. I really don't think that would change the game THAT much, but it is true that the parity would probably take a small hit just because with better spacing, your better athletes probably become more dangerous. But a lot of times, these kids are shooting from 24 anyway, so it's not like they can't hit them. But at least it would open things up a little bit.

 

[fryguy22]

The best teams play a great brand of basketball IMO. Watch the Wolves this year

 

[GopherSteak]

Leave it the way it is. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you want to change a rule for the better, make students stay 2 years before declaring.

 

[BarnBoy]

I think what would make NCAA basketball more watchable is hip-hop music and T-shirt cannons. And get rid of those stupid college bands.

 

[Monty519]

Those weren't meant to necessarily be connected haha. But I think the Wolves (offensively at least) are gonna be a lot of fun to watch this year and should at least be in playoff contention.

 

[Gopherguy0723]

Lower the shot clock, call fouls, eliminate hand-checking. That is how you speed up the game, and bring back the athleticism. I don't think the 3-point line is a big problem. I like how it helps small schools. I think widening the lane and eliminating timeouts are decent ideas.

Advancing the ball on a timeout at the end of the game is a horrible rule. It needs to go away in the NBA, and college needs to stay away from it forever.

 

[GopherDude]

Too physical? Not enough fouls called? Gee Jay, you must've played in the ACC...

 

[Bad Gopher]

Either eliminate the double bonus or eliminate the 1-and-1. I've always thought it was goofy since the rule change that the 1-and-1 only applies to fouls 7-9. Yes I understand why the rule was changed, but that doesn't make it any less goofy IMO.

 

[golfing18now]

Easier to have ball and player movement in the NBA because very few passes are actually contested. College games can get ugly, no doubt, but it is still much more enjoyable to watch (IMO).

 

[Twinsfan007]

I love College Ball and hope that it stays the way to is for awhile. However, I do think it would be a good idea to at least move the shot clock down to 30 so Crybaby Bo's Offense won't work

 

[SelectionSunday]

Bilas makes some valid points, but I'm not real interested in the college game becoming more like the NBA.

I'd fall in line with:

(1) Shot clock to 30 seconds

(2) 3-point arch to international distance (isn't it longer than college, but shorter than NBA?)

(3) Coaches can't call time outs. If the coach wants a time out, he's gotta' get the message to one of his players, who then can call the time out. I absolutely hate how much the control-freak coaches rule the college game. It's sickening how coaches are allowed to bail out their players, especially on in-bounds plays or when they get trapped. In the heat of the battle players should have to learn how to think for themselves. Isn't that supposed to be a big part of college life (on and off the court), anyways?

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

Bilas makes some valid points, but I'm not real interested in the college game becoming more like the NBA.

I'd fall in line with:

(1) Shot clock to 30 seconds

(2) 3-point arch to international distance (isn't it longer than college, but shorter than NBA?)

(3) Coaches can't call time outs. If the coach wants a time out, he's gotta' get the message to one of his players, who then can call the time out. I absolutely hate how much the control-freak coaches rule the college game. It's sickening how coaches are allowed to bail out their players, especially on in-bounds plays or when they get trapped. In the heat of the battle players should have to learn how to think for themselves. Isn't that supposed to be a big part of college life (on and off the court), anyways?

#3 is spot on. College coaches love that the game is about them. To a couple of other posters points, they need to limit non-TV timeouts to 2 or 3. This is a players game, and there is way too much overcoaching.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

If we saw the same game in the regular season that we do in the playoffs, then the NBA would squash college basketball in every facet. However, the game is simply boring except the last 2 months of the season. Same goes for the NHL (except NHL playoffs are still boring).

College basketball is great because of the atmosphere and the intensity every game. As long as they don't lose that, there will always be a place for it.

 

[mom8pop]

I'm on board with reducing the time outs. As a fan of hockey, there is too much stoppage in college ball.

And moving the inbounds to half court is a terrible, terrible idea. It us one thing I really dislike about NBA. It makes no sense to me.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Bilas makes some valid points, but I'm not real interested in the college game becoming more like the NBA.

I'd fall in line with:

(1) Shot clock to 30 seconds

(2) 3-point arch to international distance (isn't it longer than college, but shorter than NBA?)

(3) Coaches can't call time outs. If the coach wants a time out, he's gotta' get the message to one of his players, who then can call the time out. I absolutely hate how much the control-freak coaches rule the college game. It's sickening how coaches are allowed to bail out their players, especially on in-bounds plays or when they get trapped. In the heat of the battle players should have to learn how to think for themselves. Isn't that supposed to be a big part of college life (on and off the court), anyways?

I agree with all three, especially the timeouts. Coaches calling timeouts is stupid in football too. I don't like how a coach can call a timeout just before the play clock runs out. That should be on the QB.

I would go a step further and cut down on timeouts. Like already mentioned, they get timeouts every four minutes or so for TV. I would cut it down to one in the first half and two in the second.

 

[GophersInIowa]

If we saw the same game in the regular season that we do in the playoffs, then the NBA would squash college basketball in every facet. However, the game is simply boring except the last 2 months of the season. Same goes for the NHL (except NHL playoffs are still boring).

College basketball is great because of the atmosphere and the intensity every game. As long as they don't lose that, there will always be a place for it.

This is a different discussion but I disagree with the NHL playoffs. I think it is the most intense of all the pro sport playoffs.

 

[GopherDude]

If we saw the same game in the regular season that we do in the playoffs, then the NBA would squash college basketball in every facet. However, the game is simply boring except the last 2 months of the season. Same goes for the NHL (except NHL playoffs are still boring).

College basketball is great because of the atmosphere and the intensity every game. As long as they don't lose that, there will always be a place for it.

100% accurate. College basketball is messy, physical and not as pretty as the NBA and that is what makes it great! And that is coming from a senior in college who is the primary target market for the "NBA brand of basketball" (high-flying dunks, no defense, fast paced, 1v1 matchups, etc...). My family has had Wolves seasons tickets for 8 or 9 years (almost all of them painful) so don't get me wrong, I love the NBA... especially the playoffs, but when it comes down to it, I would take college basketball over pro basketball any day of the week! The intensity, the pressure, the arenas, the drunk college kids, and the fact that the players actually care if they win a regular season game all make the sport better. The few changes I agree with are less timeouts, a 30 second shot clock, and coaches having less control in the games. Other than that, keep the college bball the same!

 

[Rodney's Open]

[/B]

100% accurate. College basketball is messy, physical and not as pretty as the NBA and that is what makes it great! And that is coming from a senior in college who is the primary target market for the "NBA brand of basketball" (high-flying dunks, no defense, fast paced, 1v1 matchups, etc...). My family has had Wolves seasons tickets for 8 or 9 years (almost all of them painful) so don't get me wrong, I love the NBA... especially the playoffs, but when it comes down to it, I would take college basketball over pro basketball any day of the week! The intensity, the pressure, the arenas, the drunk college kids, and the fact that the players actually care if they win a regular season game all make the sport better. The few changes I agree with are less timeouts, a 30 second shot clock, and coaches having less control in the games. Other than that, keep the college bball the same!

I absolutely hate the notion that no defense is played in the NBA. I'll admit that some players are more concerned about saving their energy for the offensive end, but defense is definitely played. The difference is, it is tough to stop top notch players from scoring one-on-one. I don't think anyone blamed whomever guarded Beasley when he scored at will in college. I don't think anyone blames the corner that covers Megatron because isn't as big and can't out jump him. They don't call it no defense. The floor spacing hurts team defense which leads to more points being scored.

 

[golfing18now]

I absolutely hate the notion that no defense is played in the NBA. I'll admit that some players are more concerned about saving their energy for the offensive end, but defense is definitely played. The difference is, it is tough to stop top notch players from scoring one-on-one. I don't think anyone blamed whomever guarded Beasley when he scored at will in college. I don't think anyone blames the corner that covers Megatron because isn't as big and can't out jump him. They don't call it no defense. The floor spacing hurts team defense which leads to more points being scored.

Doesn't that say it all? Tough to play effective team defense if, by your own acknowledgement, not everybody does? Until the playoffs roll around, the NBA is too often a HORSE contest for me.