NCAA Men’s Basketball Considers Change from Halves to Quarters

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (May 11, 2026) – The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Rules Subcommittee and the Division II and III Men’s Basketball Rules Committee met to discuss the state of men’s college basketball and ways to enhance the game. Because this is not a rules-change year, the committees focused on current trends and potential future modifications and a central topic was whether NCAA men’s basketball should further evaluate transitioning from two halves to four quarters.

While the concept has been discussed in prior years, the committees plan to seek additional feedback from the broader NCAA men’s basketball community and key stakeholders to determine whether a format change would benefit the sport. If this change occurred it could impact the type of scorebooks used in men’s college basketball.

Women’s basketball games are four quarters at all three divisions of NCAA competition.

Areas of evaluation include the potential impact on pace of play, game flow and strategy — particularly regarding the resetting of team fouls — as well as overall game length. The committees will also examine possible commercial implications, including effects on broadcast structure and fan engagement.

Approved rulings

The committees approved several minor adjustments to existing rules:

• Officials will call 10-second backcourt violations when the shot clock reaches 19 seconds, rather than 20. This change better aligns with shot clocks that measure tenths of a second and improves accuracy in administering the rule.
• When two media timeouts would otherwise occur consecutively, the game clock must run before the second timeout is granted.

Preseason exhibition contests and scrimmages

All preseason exhibition games and public scrimmages must be conducted in full accordance with NCAA playing rules.

Points of emphasis

For the 2026-27 season, officials will prioritize enforcement in the following areas:

• Post play physicality.
• Offensive three-second violations.
• Freedom of movement.
• Traveling.

“The committee had robust conversations regarding the state of the game,” said Paul Brazeau, chair of the Division I Men’s Basketball Rules Subcommittee and senior vice president of men’s basketball for the Atlantic Coast Conference. “It remains committed to freedom-of-movement principles and ensuring the game continues to evolve, including evaluating concepts such as four quarters.”

Bert Epting, chair of the Division II and Division III Men’s Basketball Rules Committee and director of athletics at Anderson (South Carolina), added: “The future of the game is bright. We will continue exploring ways to enhance the fan experience while maintaining a strong competitive environment for student-athletes.”