New rules change college basketball, Jags ready for Talladega

The new rule changes in college basketball could possibly make the free throw line a busy place. The goal is to change the way the sport is played, which means no more hand checking and referees will crackdown on block-charge calls.
The new rules were proposed by the NCAA Basketball Rules Committee in May to increase scoring and minimize the physical nature.
Many coaches, including Southern Jaguars women’s assistant basketball coach Carlos Funchess, are concerned of the new hands-free approach.
“They gone have to relax on those rules,” said Funchess, who watched 74 free-throw attempts in an exhibition game between Dillard University and the Southern Jaguars last Friday. “I talked to some other coaches around the country and here in the state. They are having the same problem.”
Sports writers Nancy Armour in Chicago, Dave Skretta in Kansas City and Joe Kay in Cincinnati reported in the Lexington-Herald that the rule changes comes after scoring in Division I dropped to 67.5 points per game in 2012-13, the lowest since 1951-52-long before the shot clock and 3-point shot were added.
“It’s the biggest change to our game,” Pitino told ESPN.com. “No question. Last season was terrible. It was an ugly season. We need to change the game. The one thing the coaches can’t do: They can’t gripe about it. The first six weeks will be a transition for the players as well as the coaches.”
                  Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com also reported that the NCAA sent a video out to all Division I coaches last week with all the rule changes. In the video, Art Hyland, the secretary rules editor of the NCAA men’s basketball rules committee, highlighted the proper enforcement of hand-checking rules and other illegal actions.
Funchess and the rest of the women’s basketball aren’t fans of the changes. They reviewed the video in their locker room prior to practice last Sunday.
“Coach Pugh (head coach) thought it would be beneficial for them to watch the rule change tapes,” Funchess said.
The rules include:
• Keeping hand or forearm on an opponent.
• Putting two hands on an opponent.
• Continually jabbing an opponent by extending an arm or placing a hand or forearm on the opponent.
• Using an arm bar to impede the progress of a dribbler.
“The best way to increase scoring and make the game better is to create situations to get more shots. More free throws doesn’t make the game better,” University of Kansas coach Bill Self told ESPN.com
The women’s basketball team will begin their 2013-14 schedule against Talladega College Friday in F.G. Clark Activity Center. Preseason all-conference team Kendra Coleman led the Jaguars in their exhibition game with 34 points in 24 minutes played.