How many fouls are allowed in college basketball

Here’s What to Know About Fouls in NCAA Basketball – NBC 7 San Diego

NCAA basketball

Here is a quick guide on how the foul system works in NCAA college basketball

By Marsha Green •

As we get deeper into March Madness, the games continue to intensify as the competition dwindles down. And for those watching who don't have much experience with the game, there may be a ton of questions, especially when it comes to fouls.

The rules of college basketball are a lot different than the National Basketball Association (NBA). And when it comes to fouls, there are also many differences between the two leagues. 

Before we get to the national championship, here's everything you need to know about the fouls in the NCAA:

When does a player foul out in college basketball?

Each time that a player commits a foul during a game, they receive a personal foul. If the player reaches a certain foul total during the game, they will "foul out" and will not be allowed to play any more. In the NCAA, it takes five fouls to "foul out," unlike in the NBA, which takes six fouls.

What is a shooting foul in college basketball?

When a defensive player makes physical contact with a player while they are shooting the ball, it is called a "shooting foul." Shooting fouls will then result in free throw attempts for the fouled player. If a shooter is fouled while attempting a two-point shot, they will receive two free throws, and if they are fouled while behind the line, they will receive three free throws.

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If a player is fouled and makes their attempted two- or three-point shot, the fouled player will receive one extra free throw, which is called an "and-one."

What is a technical foul in college basketball?

A technical foul is a foul that doesn't have to be a result of illegal contact against a player.  

Technical fouls can be called on players or coaches on both the floor or the sidelines. They result in a free throw and also possession of the ball for the opposing team. If a player or coach receives two technical fouls in the same game, they will be ejected.

Recently, the NCAA made a move towards getting rid of “flopping,” which is an intentional fall or stagger by a player after little or no physical contact by an opposing player in order to draw a personal foul. Players will receive a warning for a delay of game on the first instance of flopping, and the second will result in a technical foul. 

Hanging on the rim for too long can also result in a technical foul. Sometimes officials get that call wrong. Like during Sunday’s NCAA tournament game between Illinois and Houston. 

Fighting Illini guard RJ Melendez slammed home a breakaway dunk in the 2nd half of the 68-53 loss and was called for a technical foul for hanging on the rim. Many fans and former athletes thought the call was wrong because due Melendez’ momentum taking him towards the baseline he appeared to just be trying to safely land.

Coaches also can be ejected if they receive two technical fouls. UConn head coach Dan Hurley was ejected from the first half of the UConn-Villanova men's basketball game on Feb. 22nd. 

Hurley received the first tech for slamming his fist on the scorers’ table and was ejected from the game seconds later after turning to the crowd and waving his arms in the air, imploring fans to get loud.

What is a flagrant 1 foul in college basketball?

A flagrant 1 foul is a result of excessive contact that in nature is categorized as unnecessary or avoidable. The fouled player will receive two shots, and the opposing team will gain possession of the ball.

What is a flagrant 2 foul in college basketball?

A flagrant 2 foul, however, is much more extreme. The fouled player will receive two shots and the ball, and the player that committed the foul is ejected from the game. The NCAA rules committee describes a flagrant 2 as “brutal, harsh or cruel or dangerous or punishing. ”

Some flagrant 2 fouls are often very controversial. Saturday's NCAA Tournament game between North Carolina and Baylor, Tar Heels forward Brady Manek was called for a flagrant 2 and was ejected from the game. Though UNC went on to defeat Baylor, the call elicited a strong response on social media, and many fans felt Manek's actions should've been a flagrant 1 at the very least.

How Many Fouls to Foul Out in College Basketball?

Each foul in a college basketball game is crucial in many different facets of the game. In terms of gameplay, it can mean several things in various scenarios. Some fouls are unintentional due to the physicality of play in games and some are very intentional and serve a purpose for a particular player and their team. Some fouls are agreed upon between the referees and the player called for the infraction and others are disputed heavily by the player.

One thing that is never disputed when it comes to fouls, particularly in the college game, is how many fouls each player is allowed to commit before fouling out of the game. Each college basketball player is allowed five fouls in each game and is sent off the court once they have reached that foul limit.

The NBA allows their players 6 fouls before they foul out, due to a couple of different reasons. One is that the professional game is deemed more physical due to the “professional” nature of the sport. NBA players are pros and their style of play is high level compared to the college game and contact happens more frequently.

Another reason is that NBA games are 48 minutes long compared to the 40-minute college game. The longer the game, the more chances you will foul someone. The average of fouls per minute breaks down to the same – a foul every 8 minutes fouls you out of both the college game (5 fouls in 40 minutes) and an NBA game (6 fouls in 48 minutes).

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What is a Foul?

There are several different types of fouls and they can differ tremendously. If you would like a complete breakdown of fouls and their meaning, check out our article about the foul as it pertains to the NBA game here.

There are, however, important things to understand about a foul for this particular article, most importantly, the definition of a common personal foul.

A player shall not hold, displace, push, charge, trip or impede the progress of an opponent by extending arm(s), shoulder(s), hip(s) or knee(s) or by bending his own body into other than a normal position or by using any unreasonably rough tactics.” – 2018-19 NCAA Rulebook: Rule 10 – Fouls and Penalties

The game of basketball is very fast-paced and there are thousands of different situations and scenarios during games, due to how dynamic the game is, that fouls are committed countless times and their reasons are plenty. Let’s discuss some of the reasons why players foul before taking a look at some interesting scenarios from past college games.

Reasons for Fouling

1. Incidental Contact

Oftentimes players do not mean to foul but have no choice because they are having trouble guarding their opponent and fouling is one way of stopping them from scoring at will. Other times a player gets a little too eager on defense and either reaches in or bumps their opponent trying to steal or block a ball. Another very common incidental foul is when a player jumps over their opponent’s back while grabbing a rebound. It is a judgment call but happens quite often.

2. Sending a Message

Some fouls are one hundred percent meaningful and are committed to either serve a purpose or send a message. Many players, both in college and the pros, made their name by playing hard-nosed defense which included committing hard fouls on their opponents so that they thought twice about driving into the lane. This was an example of a strategic personal foul, that served a purpose and sent a message.

The strategy of having someone on your team that plays an enforcer role is a bit outdated as the game of basketball has evolved so much, however, tough guys will never completely leave the game. The college game is called much closer these days but tough guys can still “put a body” on someone who drives into the lane and have them second-guessing a drive into the lane next time if they get hit hard enough.

3. Situational/Late-Game Fouls

Late game situations sometimes call for fouling as well. If a team is down in the late stages of a game and need to foul the other team in hopes they miss foul shots. Fouling a team stops the clock and puts the onus on them to hit big shots under pressure, which is easier said than done. If you look at almost any basketball comeback, there are some elements of fouling a team to try and slow the game down. It may not always be exciting but it can be effective.

4. The Offensive Foul

Fouls don’t only occur on the defensive side of the ball. The offensive is capable of committing several types of fouls including an incidental offensive foul and an offensive charge. Many times ball-handlers, in order to get an advantage on their defenders, will either push off or extend their arm out and can get called for an offensive foul which results in loss of possession.

A charge occurs when an offensive player either runs or jumps into a defender uncontrolled and the defender keeps his feet and body stationary. The defense has the right to their position and if a player impedes that, it is a charge. The charge is one of the most controversial calls in basketball because of how difficult it is to be called on a regular basis. Each referee is different and even if you take the perfect charge, there is no guarantee that it will be called in your favor.

NCAA Basketball Foul Records

All-Time Career Personal Foul Leader

From 2016 to 2019, Chris Silva of the University of South Carolina committed the most fouls in NCAA basketball history. Over his career, which was 134 total games, he committed 470 fouls! Silva averaged 21.7 minutes per game over his four-year career at South Carolina, which means he averaged a personal foul every 6 minutes of his college career. When you break it down to the minute, the rate at which he committed fouls was pretty staggering.

Silva is also second overall for the single-season personal foul record. Silva committed 141 personal fouls during the 2016-17 season while playing in 37 total games and averaging 20.9 minutes per game. That means Silva averaged almost 4 fouls per game and committed on average every five and a half minutes for the season!

Most Charges Ever

Former Duke University star Shane Battier holds the record for most offensive charges taken with 111. That number is impressive on its own, but to think about the type of player Battier was makes it even more amazing. Shane Battier is a 2-time All-American and former Player of the Year. Those types of players don’t normally excel in the role player work so the fact that Battier not only led his team but the entire country, in charges taken says a lot about his character.

Battier’s pedigree would come in handy once he entered the NBA. Battier went from college superstar to NBA role player and his practice in excelling in the little things – defense, charges taken, diving for loose balls – helped him stick around the league for an impressive thirteen years. During his pro career, he made two All-Defensive teams and won two NBA titles with the Miami Heat.

In Conclusion

Fouls are an interesting part of the game of basketball. They can serve a purpose occasionally but oftentimes are unwanted by the teams committing them, and unnecessary within the game. While fouls are a frustrating part of the game for players and fans alike, it is important they are enforced so that the order of the game is maintained.

Who is the most memorable enforcer from your favorite college basketball team throughout history? Let us know below in the comments!

Numbers "0" and "00" are iconic in the NBA, and now even teammates can take them. But earlier only freaks and dudes played under zeros - Blogg on the floor - Blogs

There are many numbers in the basketball world tied to specific players, positions, eras, stories. You look at them without context and immediately a form with these numbers on the back pops up before your eyes.

For example, number 33 is synonymous with the great center, Kareem Abdul-Jabar and Patrick Ewing played under him, he wanted to take Shaquille O’Neal in the NBA, but he was constantly busy with someone because of mass popularity at 90th.

Or Kobe Bryant's career, which is clearly divided into two halves, their symbols are precisely the numbers on the yellow-purple jersey - 8 and 24. Magic Johnson, Karl Malone and Julius Irving.

#99 is George Mikan. No. 3 - Allen Iverson. No. 11 - Sabas. No. 41 - Dirk. No. 50 - Admiral. No. 47 - Kirilenko. No. 13 - Wilt. No. 30 - Steph. No. 91 - multi-colored Dennis Rodman in "Chicago".

And number 23 doesn't even need to be announced by name, it's part of basketball culture.

And yet, such numbers, although symbolic for basketball, are not unique to this sport. They appear everywhere - in football, in hockey, in Formula 1.

But there are two exclusively basketball numbers that either have not gained popularity in other sports, or are generally prohibited there. This is #0 and #00.

And no, it's not because basketball players can only count from zero to zero.

Where did the zero numbers come from?

Game numbers on uniforms appeared in sports at the very beginning of the 20th century. Rugby, Australian football and other pastimes from this branch of the sports genealogy, including American football, became the first sports where players began to be marked.

It was a necessity - the rules still restrict players of certain positions in receiving the ball or being able to pass, but then they were even stricter. And the referees had to have time to sort out in a bunch of small, who is a fullback, who is the center, and who is the lost fan.

In rugby, instead of permanent numbers for players, there are numbers for positions - the right column always plays under the 3rd number, the inside center - under the 12th, the pulling (or simply "eighth") - under the 8th (what a surprise , of course), and so everything is numbered from 1 to 15.

In American football, where over time separate teams for attack and defense appeared, where there are more substitutions, they went the other way - the number is assigned to the player for the entire season, but he can choose only from a limited number of available. Now in the NFL, quarterbacks (as well as kickers and panthers) wear uniforms with numbers from 1 to 19., offensive players eligible to receive a pass - from 1 to 49 and 80-89, not eligible - 50-79, the defensive linemen have the same numbers, and so on.

Almost immediately, "football numbers" spread to hockey and baseball, but there is no longer a link to the position, because the rules practically did not differentiate the players according to their capabilities. And if they singled out a separate category (for example, hockey goalkeepers, who received a special No. 1 for their use), then the judges could recognize them even without numbers.

But it was more difficult for the fans in the stands. And so that the athletes on the hockey ice / baseball field at least somehow differ from each other, managers introduced game numbers following the example of football.

(for the longest of all team sports, of course, European football denied uniform numbers, where only in 1939 it became mandatory in England and only in the mid-1950s in the rest of Europe)

Game numbers in all types were immediately limited to double-digit numbers - there were more than 10 people in the teams, but very far from 100, and two numbers are much easier to read than three. This system has come in handy in basketball, where game numbers are rooted in 1930s.

And along with the whole system, the wonderful number 0 came in handy.

Unlike rugby or amfut, players are interchangeable in positions. Unlike baseball, there are only 5 players on the court. Unlike hockey, they play without helmets and are easily recognizable. One is long, the other is bald, the third is with hairy shoulders, the fourth and fifth are twins, but they still play equally badly, and all five are white, because blacks are not yet allowed to compete. Numbers are not required for identification.

Therefore, the numbers on basketball jerseys ended up being used for a different, but also functional purpose - uses them to count the number of personal remarks and determine which of the twins or the hairy-shouldered chose the foul limit for the match. The arbitrators quickly signal to the referee's table which number has received the personal foul.

In obscenely formalized student basketball, there is a fixed system of signals - the referee shows the basketball player's game number with the fingers of both hands: one hand signals the first digit of the number, the other - the second. Fist - 0, number of fingers - 1-5. Number 5 broke the rules? One hand is shown. Violated the 22nd - two fingers on both hands. 10th - finger and fist. 76th - stop, there can’t be such a number here, who let the mascot on the floor?

Uniforms in the NCAA are still tuned to this system - no numbers 6, 9 or 69. No 17 or 99.

But 0 (fist) and 00 (two fists) are legal.

Number 00 - what is it anyway? It's not even a number!

True, but if we consider two-digit numbers as a combination of numbers, and not a natural number, then 00 is a completely legal symbolism. In the early days of the NBA, even numbers like "03" or "09" were allowed before they were finally retired.

And this is the only limitation of number rules in the NBA *, but there is no student ban on 6, 7, 8 and 9 here and never was - and it was not introduced into the NCAA immediately, only in the late 1950s. And before that, George Mikan played in college at number 99, Bill Russell - at number 6, moved with these numbers to the NBA. When students switched to numbers made up of 0-5, the NBA continued to use 6-9.

* - yes, yes, we all know the story that the league did not allow Rodman to take # 69 to the Lakers, and then he chose # 70, and the 69th has never been used by anyone, unlike NFL, MLB and even NHL. But this unspoken "rule" is not fixed anywhere.

And still, 0 and 00 were not used in the NCAA, NBA, or high school competitions under 1970s. In those years, many did not attach importance to the game number, it was simply assigned, the supply manager simply brought some T-shirts from the warehouse, and so they were distributed to schoolchildren / students / even early NBA players. Number 0 or 00 would have to be requested by special order. What kind of strange person are you who wants to be zero? Definitely a communist.

The first NBA #0 is probably a phantom

The earliest recorded use of #0 in basketball is Johnny Jorgensen in 19470080 from the Chicago Stags.

9 had zero numbers in the NCAA0079 by Jaylen Brown, De'Aaron Fox, Terry Rozier , and by Jared Sallinger and Glen Davis, which emphasized their very rounded shapes. But on their first NBA teams, #0 was already occupied by someone (note how many Celtic rookies are here - the problem with the availability of numbers in Boston is not only that almost three dozen have already been retired).

And Nick Young to the Lakers, Where would Nick Young be to the Lakers.

0 and 00 can now be worn by two players on the same team

When Arenas enthralled the entire league in his early seasons and was stolen from Golden State by the Washingtons in 2003 (leading to the Gilbert Arenas Amendment to NBA contract rules), he took No. 0 to the US capital, but to the Wizards "already played by a man at number 00 - Brendan Haywood. Haywood had to change his number - now there would be no such problem.

In 2013, the NBA lifted the restriction - the first teammates with zero numbers were Spencer Howes (No. 00) and Jeremy Pargo (No. 0) from Philadelphia - the league simply did not seem to notice this in the middle of the season when Pargo signed for ten-day contract with the Sixers. And since this did not cause problems, the ban was lifted.

The first teammates who from the very start of the season were under 0 and 00 in the application were Emmanuel Mudiay and Darrell Arthur in Denver 2015-2017, and the first ones who were really noticed were Damian Lillard and Enes Kanter, and later - Lillard and Carmelo Anthony, who saw in 00 not zeros, but an infinity symbol.

In the current NBA season, 22 players used #0 (one of the most popular in the league, second only to #3 and #7), and only eight used #00. Five teams now have both numbers: is Phoenix (Craig and McGee), Golden State (Payton and Cuminga), Cleveland (Love and Goodwin), Utah (Pascall and Clarkson) and Denver (Jamichael Greene and Marcus Howard), and in the middle of the season there was Philadelphia (Maxi and Cowley-Stein, who had already left the club).

Technically, we can assume that 0 and 00 are also in Portland - the expiring contract of the injured Joe Ingles was traded from Utah at the deadline, the Australian will not play a second for the new club, but he was still assigned No. 00.

This is the "Johnny Jorgensen case" where the player was simply assigned a number on the score sheet. You can't be naked on the record.

What about other sports?

In the NFL, numbers 0 and 00 were once the norm, but began to disappear in the 1950s, and with the regulation of numbers by position in 1973, they became illegal altogether. Prior to that, several players managed to play under zeros, the most famous being Hall of Famer center Jim Otto (00 symbolized the name of the Raiders legend, because 0 in English is not necessarily pronounced like zero or nil, but also like “aught” or “oh ", here you have "from-o").

There is no ban in Major League Baseball, but 0 and especially 00 are rare guests. 0, however, is sometimes chosen by baseball players with a first or last name starting with “o” (Oscar, Omar, Oliver, Ortiz, Ottavino).

The NHL has had only one player with the number 0 and two with the number 00. The first was Rangers goaltender John Davidson in 1977. NHL veteran Phil Esposito himself wore the then-extravagant #77 and encouraged the young goaltender to wear #00. But Davidson returned to the classic #30 after just one season.

The last case lasted only three matches - Buffalo goalie Marten Biron in 1995 put on a sweater with two zeros, but it turned out that the NHL's digital statistics system was not adapted to zero in the "number" column, and even more so to double. Since then, 0 and 00 have been banned from hockey, although there are no technical barriers anymore.

In European football, with all its conservatism and formalism, there was only one case at all - Hisham Zeruali, nicknamed "Zero", played one season at number 0 for Aberdeen under the special permission of the Scottish Football Federation. And then it was banned again.

The NBA won't ban the 0 - at the current rate of use, it's more likely to disappear for another reason: because it will be retired from all clubs. While most of the "nulls" are still active players, so only the "double" Parish and Moore are still immortalized.

“When I wore that zero, I always knew that I would definitely overcome it. No zeros, I can't have zero points or zero rebounds,” recalls Alden Polinis. Zero symbolizes the beginning. There is a beginning, there is no end. From here, just go forward."

Photo: REUTERS/Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports; Gettyimages.ru/Abbie Parr, Otto Greule Jr / Stringer, Streeter Lecka, Bruce Bennett, Stacy Revere, Kevin C. Cox

How many fouls in basketball to remove?

Our site presents the seventh edition of the Basketball language rubric. In it, we talk about basketball terms - borrowed words, specific expressions and jargon - the language that all participants and fans of the game speak. Each word is accompanied by a video tutorial with illustrative examples.
We bring to your attention the seventh series of the Basketball Language project, in which we will analyze in detail four terms: unsportsmanlike foul, technical foul, zone and personal defense.
unsportsmanlike foul
An unsportsmanlike foul is a personal charge against a player who, in the opinion of the referee, did not legally attempt to play the ball directly in accordance with the rules. An unsportsmanlike foul is called on the offender and a free throw(s) is awarded to the opposing team, after which the ball is passed to that team for a midfield throw-in.
Generally, unsportsmanlike fouls are called for gross fouls that could result in injury to a player, as well as deliberate fouls in situations where the attacking side has a high probability of hitting the ring. So, for example, a similar punishment follows when trying to disrupt fast attacks, if the player who violates the rules is the last defender on the way to the ring.

Technical foul
A technical foul is a foul not caused by contact with an opponent. Called for unsportsmanlike behavior: disrespectful treatment of opponent players, referees or match commissioner, insulting or provocative gestures, delaying the game, entering the playing court without the referee's permission. A technical foul is called on the offender and a free throw(s) is awarded to the opposing team, after which the ball is passed to that team for a throw-in from the middle of the court.
Due to the similarity of penalties, technical and unsportsmanlike fouls are often confused. It should be remembered that an unsportsmanlike foul is punished only by players and only for game violations. Technical fouls can be received both by basketball players on the court and by representatives of the bench. They are associated with non-playing moments and can be recorded both at the time when the ball is “live” and when it is “dead”.

Man on man defense and zone defense
There are several different types of defense in basketball. The most popular of these is personal (personal) protection. When using it, each of the defending players takes care of one opponent attached specifically to him. Usually they try to disassemble opponents according to their position. This is how centers defend against centers, heavy forwards defend against heavy forwards, and so on.

The second most popular defense system is zone defense. Its essence lies in the fact that each player must defend within a certain zone on the site, and not against a specific player, as in personal defense. This type of defense has both its pros and cons. It allows you to save strength, hides the lack of athleticism and allows you to quickly move from defense to attack. On the other hand, zone defense requires high coordination and is ineffective against teams with a large number of snipers. The cons of using it often outweigh the pros. Therefore, in modern basketball, zone defense is used most often on a short-term basis as a temporary or reserve option.

In basketball, infractions caused by personal contact or unsportsmanlike conduct are called fouls. The following types of fouls exist:

· personal - committed as a result of personal contact;

technical - not caused by contact with an opponent, may be the result of disrespect for the referees, an opponent, game delays, procedural violations;

· unsportsmanlike - is made as a result of contact in which the player did not try to play the ball within the rules;

· disqualifying - caused by flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct.

A player who has received 5 fouls in a match (6 fouls in the NBA) must leave the playing court. He cannot take part in the match, but he has the right to remain on the bench. After receiving a disqualifying foul, the player must leave the playing court without the right to remain on the bench.

A foul may also be received by a coach, a team official or a player on the bench. Each foul counts as a team foul, except for a technical foul received by a coach, a team official or a player on the bench.

Basketball fouls

A foul is an infraction of the rules of the game caused by a player's personal contact or unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Types of fouls:
- personal;
- technical;
- unsportsmanlike;
- disqualifying.
If a player has received five fouls during the game, then he must leave the playing court and cannot take part in further play (but he is allowed to be on the bench until the end of the game). A player who has received a disqualifying foul must leave the venue without fail (he is not allowed to even be on the bench).
The team coach is also disqualified in the following cases:
- if he commits two technical fouls;
A substitute or team official committed three technical fouls.
- The team coach commits one technical foul and a team official or substitute commits two technical fouls.
Each foul counts towards the team foul count, except for technical fouls that are received by a team coach, bench player or team official.
A personal foul is a foul that a player receives as a result of personal contact during a game.
Penalty: If the foul is committed on a player who is not in the throwing phase, then:
- If the team has not yet accumulated 5 team fouls or is committed by a player whose team was in possession of the ball, then the affected team administers a throw-in;
- Otherwise, the injured player shoots two free throws.
If a foul is committed on a player who is in the throwing phase then:
- if the throw was effective, then it is counted, and the injured player performs one free throw;
- If the throw was unsuccessful, then the player who was injured performs as many free throws as the team would have earned if the throw was successful.
An unsportsmanlike foul is a foul that occurs as a result of contact where the player did not attempt to play the ball in accordance with the rules of the game.
Penalty: If a foul is committed on a player who is in the throwing phase, then proceed as in the case of a personal foul. In the event that a foul is committed on a player who is not in the throwing stage, then the player who is injured performs two free throws. After free throws have been taken, the injured team shall take a throw-in at the center line extended. The exception is fouls that were committed before the start of the first period. In this case, after the execution of free throws, a jump ball is played (as in the cases of the beginning of the game). If two unsportsmanlike fouls are committed by one player during one match, then he will be disqualified without fail.
A disqualifying foul is a foul that results from flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct by a player. A disqualifying foul can be received by the main team players and substitutes, the coach, as well as the official representative of the team.

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