Saturday, April 4, 2009

NBA vs. College Rules

Shamefully it's been a long time since I last posted to this blog, but as I watch tonight's Final Four showdown between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tarheels, I was just thinking about why NCAA basketball rules are so different from NBA rules. To wit, here are some differences:

-NCAA plays 20 minute halves, vs. 12-minute quarters in NBA
-1 and 1 foul situations in NCAA, but not in NBA
-possession arrow in NCAA vs. jump ball in the pros
-shorter 3-point arc in NCAA

I'd like to know what the reasoning is behind having these disparate rules. Seems to me like the NCAA should mesh with the NBA rules since they're essentially training their players on how to play in the pros. In addition, it takes out the confusion for novice fans if the rules are more universal.

All in all, what's the benefit of having different regulations between the two?

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