Defensive players in men's college basketball will be held to a higher standard for drawing a charge, if a proposal from the NCAA men's basketball rules committee is implemented next month.
Currently, defenders have to be set in a legal guarding position before an offensive player rises in the air to take a shot, but the proposal says they must be in legal guarding position before the offensive player plants a foot to launch toward the basket.
The NCAA said the committee proposed the change because too many charges are being called on these types of plays, which are among the most difficult for officials to make.
"Our goal is to try to reduce the number of charges that are called," said Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, the committee chair. "We want to give more time to the offensive player to adjust to defensive player movement and reduce the hard collisions that are taking place."
Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy argues for the change, saying the current rule is dangerous and a disadvantage to the offensive player.
The committee also proposed a number of other minor changes, including allowing players to wear jerseys numbered anything from 0-99 and giving officials the ability to review goaltending calls during an ensuing media timeout.
The changes are expected to be voted on by the NCAA playing rules oversight panel during a virtual call on June 8.
