Men’s College Basketball: Coach’s Challenges Approved
College basketball games are about to change! The NCAA has approved coach’s challenges, allowing coaches to contest crucial calls like out-of-bounds, goaltending, and restricted-area violations. Teams must use a timeout to initiate a challenge, with successful challenges rewarding the team with another possibility. Unsuccessful challenges forfeit future challenges. The rules also address flagrant fouls,introducing a Flagrant Foul 1 for groin contact. Plus, there’s a push to switch from halves to quarters. With these updates, the sport is evolving. news Directory 3 covers these developments and more, providing a comprehensive look at the changes. Discover what’s next for the future of men’s college basketball.
NCAA Approves Coach’s Challenges, Alters Flagrant Foul Rule
Updated June 11, 2025
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel gave the green light tuesday to changes aimed at improving the flow of men’s college basketball games. The most notable addition: coach’s challenges.
Under the new rule, coaches can challenge out-of-bounds calls, basket interference or goaltending, and whether a secondary defender was illegally positioned in the restricted-area arc.challenges can be made at any point during the game.
Mirroring the NBA’s system, a team must use a timeout to initiate a challenge. A successful challenge earns the team another challenge for the remainder of the game. However, an unsuccessful challenge means the team forfeits any further challenge opportunities.
while officials retain the power to initiate video reviews for goaltending and restricted arc plays in the final two minutes, out-of-bounds reviews now hinge solely on a coach’s challenge. Instant replay will still be used for timing, scoring discrepancies, and flagrant fouls.
The NCAA also reported “positive momentum” toward possibly switching from halves to quarters. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee has suggested that Division I conferences form a working group to explore this change, while acknowledging existing hurdles.
In another key adjustment, the panel approved a change to the flagrant foul rule concerning contact to an opponent’s groin. Referees now have the option to assess a flagrant foul 1. Previously, the onyl options were a common foul or a flagrant foul 2, which mandates ejection.
The need for this change was highlighted last February when Texas Tech’s JT Toppin was ejected after incidental contact with Houston’s Joseph Tugler’s groin during a play. Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland was also ejected, and athletic director Kirby Hocutt described the decision as “egregious.”
What’s next
the NCAA Division I conferences will consider forming a working group to explore the feasibility of switching from halves to quarters in men’s basketball games.