USA Basketball: Rules Page 1 of 4

Men's FIBA (International), NBA, And

NCAA Basketball Rule Differences
Naismith's Original
RULE FIBA NBA NCAA 13 Rules
Duration of Four, 10 minute Four, 12 Two, 20 minute halves
Game periods minute International Court
periods Diagram (PDF)

Overtime 5 minutes 5 minutes 5 minutes

Official Equipment
Duration
(PDF)
Duration 2 minutes 130 seconds not applicable
Between First- Official FIBA Rules
Second and (PDF)
Third-Fourth
Periods
Length of 15 minutes 15 minutes 15 minutes
Halftime Download and
install the FREE
Court Length 91' 10" x 49' 2.5" 94' x 50' 94' x 50' Adobe Acrobat
Reader to view
Size of Lane 19 ' 8.2" x 19' 0.3" 16' x 19' 12' x 19'
PDF files
Three-Point FG 20' 6.1 " 23' 9" (22' in 19' 9"
Distance corner)
Shot Clock 24 seconds 24 seconds 35 seconds
Shot Clock FG attempt hits rim FG attempt FG attempt hits rim
Reset hits rim
Back Court 8 seconds 8 seconds 10 seconds
Violation
Game Clock Last 2 minutes of Last 2 Last minute of second half
Stops After 4th period and minutes of and last minute of overtime
Successful FG overtime 4th period
and overtime
Player Foul 5 6 5
Limit
Bonus Free 5th foul per period 5th foul per 7th foul per half (one-and-
Throw (two FTs) period (one- one) 10th foul per half (two
and-one FTs)
only)
Number of 5 (three defensive, 5 (three 6 (four defensive, two
Players two offensive) defensive, offensive)
Permitted On two
Free Throw offensive)
Lane
Jump Ball Yes Yes Teams alternate
possession after opening
tip-off
Legal Alley- Yes Yes Yes
Oop
Touch Ball Yes No No
On/Above
Cylinder

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Closely Yes (while holding No Yes (while

Guarded For 5 the ball) holding/dribbling ball)
Seconds
Number of Two (three can be Three Three
Referees used in competitions
if the Zone or host
federation wish to)
TIMEOUTS-GAME
Non-Televised 1 60-second in each 6 full, 1 20- 4 75-second and 2 30-
Game of the first three second per second per game
periods, 2 60- half
second in 4th period
Televised 1 60-second in each 6 full, 1 20- 1 60-second, 4 30-second
Game of the first three second per per game; unused 60-
periods, 2 60- half second and max of 3
second in 4th period unused 30-second carry
over to second half
Timeouts- 1 additional 60- 3 additional 1 additional 30-second
Overtime second full timeout and unused
second half 30-second
timeouts carry over
Timeouts Coach Player in Head coach or player in
Called By game game
Size of Maximum Around Maximum Circumference
Basketball Circumference channels 30"
78 cm (30.7") 29 1/2" to 29 Seams 1/4" Max.
3/4"
Across
channels
29 5/8" to 29
7/8"
Legal Jersey 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, All numbers 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11,
Numbers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22,
23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 32, 33,
34, 35, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44,
45, 50, 52, 52, 53, 54, 55

Women's FIBA (International), WNBA, And NCAA

Basketball Rule Differences
RULE FIBA WNBA NCAA
Duration of Four, 10 minute Two, 20 minute halves Two, 20 minute
Game periods halves
Overtime 5 minutes 5 minutes 5 minutes
Duration
Length of 15 minutes 15 minutes 15 minutes
Halftime
Duration 2 minutes not applicable Not applicable
Between
First-Second
and Third-
Fourth
Periods
Court Length 91' 10" x 49' 2.5" 94' x 50' 94' x 50'
Size of Lane 19 ' 8.2 " x 19' 12' x 19' 12' x 19'
0.3"

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USA Basketball: Rules Page 3 of 4

Three-Point 20' 6.1 " 19' 9" 19' 9"

FG Distance
Shot Clock 24 seconds 30 seconds 30 seconds
Shot Clock FG attempt hits FG attempt hits rim FG attempt hits rim
Reset rim
Back Court 8 seconds 10 seconds No restriction
Violation
Game Clock Last two minutes Last minute of each half Last minute of game
Stops After of 4th period and and overtime and last minute of
Successful overtime overtime
FG
Player Foul 5 6 5
Limit
Bonus Free 5th foul per 8th foul per half (two 7th foul per half (1-
Throw period (two FTs) FTs) On 3rd OT foul and-1) 10th foul per
(two FTs) half (two FTs)
Number of 5 (three 5 (three defensive, two 5 (three defensive,
Players defensive, two offensive) two offensive)
Permitted On offensive)
Free Throw
Lane
Jump Ball Yes Yes Teams alternate
possession after
opening tip-off
Closely Yes, while No Yes, while holding
Guarded For holding the ball the ball
Five Seconds
Timeouts - 1 60-second in 1 120-second and 1 20- 4 75-second and 2
Non-TV each of the first second in first half; 1 30-second per game
Game three periods, 2 120-second and 2 20-
60-second in 4th second in the second
period half
Timeouts - 1 60-second in Same as non-TV game 1 60-second, 4 30-
TV Game each of the first second first half;
three periods, 2 unused 60-second
60-second in 4th and max of 3
period unused 30-second
carry over to second
half
Timeouts - 1 additional 60- 1 120-second, 1 20- Any not used in
Overtime second second; 1 unused 20- regulation carry over
second second half plus 1 additional 30-
timeout can carry over second each OT
Timeouts Coach Player in game Coach or player in
Called By game
Number of Two (three can Three Three
Referees be used in
competitions if
the Zone or host
federation wish
to)
Size of Max. Max. Circumference 29" -Max.
Basketball Circumference 78 Circumference 29"
cm (30' 7") -Maximum Weight
20 ounces
-Seams 1/4" wide
max
Legal Jersey 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, 00, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

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USA Basketball: Rules Page 4 of 4

Numbers 10, 11, 12, 13, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
14, 15 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21,
22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,
28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33,
34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39,
40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45,
46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51,
52, 53, 54, 55
10, 11, 12, 13, 14,
15, 20, 21, 22, 23,
24, 25, 30, 31, 32,
33, 34, 35, 40, 41,
42, 43, 44, 45, 50,
51, 52, 53, 54, 55

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http://www.usabasketball.com/rules/rules.html 6/4/2006