The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee has proposed major rule changes that are expected to improve the “flow” of play ahead of the 2025-26 season, according to a NCAA release Friday afternoon.

Chief among those recommendations is the addition of a single coach’s challenge at any point in the game “to review out-of-bounds calls, basket interference/goaltending and whether a secondary defender was in the restricted-area arc,” the release stated. Committee members also recommended changes to the rule regarding continuous motion on field goal attempts.

The rules committee also recommended the creation of a joint working group to gather feedback from conferences on potentially moving from halves to quarters, though any potential changes to the game’s format won’t come until the next rules change year. The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel must approve all rule proposals, with the panel scheduled to discuss these recommendations June 10.

The committee also proposed an elevated emphasis for officials to address delay-of-game tactics, limiting time at the monitor on reviews, and improving game administration efficiency while also reducing physicality.

“The committee focused on the flow of the game, especially the increased number of stoppages at the end of the game, this past season,” Karl Hicks, committee chair and associate commissioner for basketball at the American Athletic Conference, said in the release. “After soliciting input from the Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee, Division I Men’s Basketball Competition Committee and the National Association of Basketball Coaches council, prioritizing the game flow at the end of the game was particularly important for our committee.

“Coach’s challenges were deemed to be the most efficient way to accomplish this goal. Data from the NCAA tournament and membership conferences showed a substantial number of reviews were on out-of-bounds plays. The committee looked at other basketball leagues around the world to see what the best solution would be for the NCAA, and the committee agreed with the NBA coach’s challenge system and its one plus one process.” 

Regarding the proposed coach’s challenge, much like in college football, teams must have a timeout to request an instant replay review. If the challenge review is successful, teams will be granted an additional video review challenge for the remainder of the game, including overtime. If unsuccessful, the team loses the ability to challenge any other calls in the game.

Coach challenges will not impact an officials’ use of instant replay for timing mistakes, scoring errors, shot clock violations, 2-point vs. 3-point field goal attempts, flagrant fouls, etc.

Among other proposals submitted Friday:

• Officials have the option to call a Flagrant 1 foul when a player is hit in the groin area. Currently officials can only call it a common foul or a Flagrant 2, resulting in an ejection.
• A player could be called for basket interference if they use the rim to gain an advantage.
• Should one of the two shot clocks at either end of the court become inoperable, the other shot clock could be utilized. Currently, both clocks are turned off if one is inoperable.

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The Pima Community College athletics program announced a monumental move to put the school ahead of the curve when it comes to endorsements at the junior college level.

The school became the first community college in Arizona to offer name, image, and likeness, or NIL, opportunities for student-athletes.

“It sounds awesome, like it’s something new, it’s different. It’ll be an experiment, for sure, but really intriguing to me,” Pima Aztecs women’s basketball player Reece Neimann said.

Niemann was a part of the Aztecs NJCAA Division two runner-up team this past season. She says being part of a successful team requires a lot of work.

“We’re in the gym for four to five hours a day, some days on our long days,” Niemann said.

At the junior college level, many of these athletes are paying for college themselves since PCC can only offer partial scholarships. This forces athletes to make tough decisions for athletes like Niemann to continue their hoop dreams.

“Four of my teammates had long jobs in the morning, and then they take all online classes, since they couldn’t make it to campus for classes, then they’d go to practice for those four hours between film lifting and then practice, and then after, they’d go home and grind out their homework.”

That’s where NIL comes into play. It allows players to create endorsements or partnerships to make money from their personal brand.

Something which hasn’t been seen on the junior college level in Arizona, until now.

“I think the biggest thing is to stay ahead of the curve and for us to be able to tell recruits, ‘Hey, we’re the first ones in Arizona to do it.’ That just gives us another little thing to brag about and to sell,” Assistant Athletic Director and Head Women’s Basketball Coach for PCC, Todd Holthaus said.

The athletic department is partnering with Opendorse to create a platform for students to connect with local businesses and brands to make money.

Something Holthaus says wouldn’t have even crossed his mind in his playing days.

“I can’t even imagine what it would have been like, and that’s probably a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. So, I’m super excited, because these young people know how to do these things.”

But it’s part of the reason he helped to make this deal, not only to help these athletes while they put on the Aztec uniforms, but also for when they take them off for the last time.

“For them to get a head start on this and get to be able to market themselves, and you know, the big thing is building your own brand. Now, being a part of that is going to be fun,” Holthaus said.

While it’ll take a little bit to get the ball rolling, officials say that the portal is now open for athletes to make a profile to connect with local businesses and start making NIL endorsements or partnerships.

Be sure to subscribe to the 13 News YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@13newskold

Copyright 2025 13 News. All rights reserved.

This is an opinion cartoon caption contest … and stuff

Did Coach Saban dance with the devil for a deal to rule over college sports?

That seems to be the thinking among some of Alabama’s most loyal football fans and captioneers. After sifting through tons of comments and captions on multiple social media sites and emails, “Dancing with the Devil” was the most popular caption – by far. It was among my first thoughts for a caption before I graciously threw it out to y’all.

“Sorry dear reader,” said one of my esteemed caption team colleagues with an evil laugh, “that’s too on the nose.”

True. The most popular choice isn’t always what we’re looking for in a caption contest. We’re looking for something a little different. Something not so obvious. Something that makes us snort.

To be honest, most of us were wondering what the hell was Saban thinking when he introduced, shared the stage and ever-so-briefly shook the tiny hand of Donald Trump at the Alabama commencement event last week.

Turns out, there was a deal to be made. With the devil. About the out-of-control NIL stuff that’s making college athletes rich and driving college coaches crazy.

I don’t have answers. But I do know this:

When and if President Trump hires Nick Saban to be college sports NIL czar, co-chair or whatever, he will finally have one competent, qualified expert in his administration who isn’t trying to destroy America. That’s probably a good thing.

Let’s get on to the caption contest stuff!

Y’all outdid yourselves this time. Our team of cartoon caption experts sifted through over a thousand comments and captions to arrive at these winners.

I picked “Parole Tide” by Heather Maze for the headline because it was short, sweet and it made me snort.

Don Krogol was the first to submit ‘Dancing with the Devil’, so he deserves props for that. It wasn’t his fault so many others followed suit. All you devil dancers are winners!

Here are the top 30 or so that gave us a chortle moment that may or may not have required a tissue. What’s your favorite caption?

‘Parole Tide!’ – Heather Maze

‘The moment Nick regretted not entering the transfer portal’ – David Morris

‘This Roll Tide smells like low tide’ – Brandi Waters

‘Miss Terry’s 11th Commandment: Don’t Dance With the Devil’ – Charley Grimsley

‘Brohemian Rhapsody’ – David Morris

‘The Dictator Dance’ – Wade Kirkpatrick

‘Dancin’ the lie-tie floss’ – Phillip Otts (Phillip’s caption included a funny animated gif of Trump doing the floss dance.)

‘The “How to Save UAB Research” polka’ – Joe Reams

‘Mephistopheles, I want the same deal you gave to Tommy Tuberville. Plus majority ownership of the Miami Dolphins.’ – Thomas Wright

‘Mephisto Waltz’ – Jeff Cupp

‘It takes two to mango’ – Robert de Buys

‘Oh Nick, dip me like Vladimir does!’ – Todd Engelhardt

‘Saban: Time to turn Doge loose on college football’ – Jim McEwen

‘MEGA DOSE OF RAT POISON’ – Rodney Duke

‘There was a sale on Crimson Tide bronzer’ – Corey Johnson

‘Orange Crush’ – Jeff Cupp

“Like s#!t through a tin horn. #SoThat’sWhatThatMeans’ – Todd Williams

‘Tell me Nick, you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?’ – Ricky Headrick

‘Dosey Dodo and Dosey Shouldn’t Have’ – Paulette Aberts

‘You don’t have to like the one you dance with to get what you want when the music stops’ – Sharon Barron Burke

‘You dance well for a guy with bone spurs’ – Don Morrison

‘I moved on him like a bitch. I couldn’t get there and he was married with a trophy wife. Then all-of-a-sudden I see him, he’s got big shiny footballs and a fantastic and very valuable crystal egg! I made my move and grabbed him by the footballs and then gave him advice on how to be a real winner from the greatest president in history!’ – Bill Ledbetter

‘No offense, Mr. President, but you ain’t no Miss Terry!’ – Hugh Kilpatrick

‘Tapdancing with a Carpetbagger’ – Corey Johnson

‘Fascism Fell On Alabama’ – Beth Selfe

‘Crimson Bromance’ – Amy Richardson

‘Believe me, Nick, this will be the last time I’ll borrow one of Barron’s ties!’ – Hugh Kilpatrick

‘The day Coach jumped the shark’ – Elizabeth Coggins

‘Please allow me to introduce myself’ – Tim Raths

‘Say it ain’t so, Nick’ – John Paul Weber

Sorry I couldn’t post all your captions, but you can vote for your favorite. Send me an email – jdcrowe@al.com.

Thanks to all for playing!