USIAA Varsity Basketball Rules:
Scholarship and Roster Rules:
- All programs can only have a max of 18 players during the regular season; this limit is lifted to 128 players for preseason tryouts and the summer practices only.
- All programs can choose whether to allow athletic scholarships or not; start-up programs are given a max of 5 years to decide whether or not to provide athletic scholarships to players.
- All D1 scholarship programs can only have a max of 15 total scholarships, and a max of 7 full scholarship players.
- All D2 scholarship programs can only have a max of 13 total scholarships, and a max of 6 full scholarship players.
- All D3 scholarship programs can only have a max of 11 total scholarship players.
- All D4 scholarship programs can only have a max of 15 total scholarships, and a max of 7 full scholarship players.
- All programs can only have a max of 12 players on the active roster for all regular season games.
- All programs are required to give all 6 inactive players as well as all 14 JV players (when they don't have games) free season tickets in the designated student sections for all home games.
- The shot clock:
a) The shot clock is reset to 30 or 14 (unless the time remaining on the clock is greater) on all fouls and violations, as well as official's stoppages (not related to the team with the ball); Reset to 30 when it results in a backcourt throw-in / Reset to 14 when it results in a front court throw-in.
b) When a shot is attempted and strikes the ring, if the team which gains control of the ball is the same team that was in control of the ball before the ball touched the ring, the clock is reset to 14.
c) The shot clock is reset to 30 after most fouls (personal or technical) — exceptions include a) a double foul or alternating possession situation when the same team retains possession, d) when the offensive team commits a technical foul.
e) For kicked ball violations, if the violation occurs with 13 or fewer seconds remaining on the shot clock, it shall be reset to 14 seconds. Otherwise, there shall be no reset (the time remaining shall be used). - All players can touch the ball above the cylinder once a shot hits the rim or backboard so long as they don't reach up through the hoop.
- Teams are only allowed 2 60-second timeouts in the first half and 3 in the second half, with 1 additional 60-second timeout per overtime period:
a) Timeouts can still be requested from the floor by players or coach anytime a player on their team is in control of the ball (including ball at their disposal) or whenever the ball is dead, including after a field goal or free throw scored by either team.
b) Unused timeouts do not carry over between halves; Unused timeouts from regulation are also not carried over.
c) All televised games still have 4 30-second TV timeouts (2 per half). - The number of players permitted on the free throw lane is 5 (three defensive, two offensive).
- Closely Guarded for 5 seconds:
a) Yes, but only within 1 meter (3ft).
b) Men = while holding or dribbling the ball; Women = only while holding the ball. - Player fouls:
a) Foul out on 5 (personal + technical) or 2 technical fouls.
b) All fouls involving contact with an opponent, even when play is stopped, are personal fouls
c) Players will receive a warning on the first flop, and a technical foul on the next flop. - The clock stops after a successful field goal in the last two minutes of the second half and of any OT period.
- The ball's dimensions will be the same as FIBA:
1) Max circumference = 29";
2) Max weight = 20oz / minimum weight = 17.99oz. - The varsity & JV players cannot share numbers.
- 4 points for a win.
- 2 points for a draw.
- 1 "bonus" point for scoring at least 80 points during the game.
- 1 "bonus" point for losing by 10 points or less.
- 1 "bonus" point for losing in overtime.
- All D1 programs play a 32-game season (16h/16a) beginning in the second week of November and ending in the last week of February.
- All D2 programs play a 28-game season (14h/14a) beginning in the second week of November and ending in the third week of February.
- All D3 & D4 programs play a 26-game season (13h/13a) beginning in the second week of November and ending in the third week of February.
- All programs can play a max of 2 (1h/1a, 2h, or 2a) preseason scrimmages with any other USIAA program within 500mi, regardless of division, beginning in the third week of October.
- All D1, D2, D3, & D4 programs can play an additional 2 games (2n) if they are selected to enter the Early Season Tournaments that begin in the 1st week of November.
- A max of 16 (D1), 12 (D2), or 10 (D3 & D4) non-regional games are allowed; all non-regional games are required to be against teams that are within 700 (D1) or 500 (D2/D3/D4) miles of the program in question.
- The preparatory schools for all of the military service academies must play each other at least once for the Preparatory Academy Basketball Cup (PABC); this also includes 1) Georgia Military College & Marion Military Institute (for Coast Guard students) & 2) New Mexico Military Institute (for Merchant Marine students), and must receive funding from the government for the long-distance trips.
- The D1 Tournaments begin on the first week of March and ending 11 weeks later.
- The D2-D4 Tournaments begin on the first week after the regular season and ending 10 weeks later.
- The D1 Regional Bowl Championship Series (RBCS) is a series of bowl games in which the best teams from each conference (excluding any other program selected to compete in the tournament) play against each other as a inter-conference championship; The RBCS starts on the same week as the tournament and finishes 3 weeks later.
- The D2-D4 State Bowl Championship Series (SBCS) is a series of bowl games in which the best teams from each state (excluding any other program selected to compete in the tournament) play against each other as a inter-conference championship; The SBCS starts on the same week as the tournament and finishes 3 weeks later.
- To be eligible for the post season:
a) D1 programs must have a minimum record of 16-16 (or 15-17 with good academic standing), and not be on probation.
b) D2 programs must have a minimum record of 14-14 (or 13-15 with good academic standing), and not be on probation.
c) D3 & D4 programs must have a minimum record of 13-13 (or 12-14 with good academic standing), and not be on probation.
USIAA JV Basketball Rules:
Scholarship and Roster Rules:
- All JV teams can only have a max of 14 players separate from the varsity team.
- All JV players must play in at least 4 games, with at least 5 total minutes per game.
- From the moment a player leaves, the player is considered "dead" and cannot return to play until either:
a) The half is over.
c) The substitute player is injured.
- All programs must play a 14-game (7h/7a) season beginning on the first Saturday of November and ending on the last Saturday of January:
a) This must be extended to 16 (8h/8a) for the military academies & senior military colleges that have a basketball team.
b) All service academies & senior military colleges must also play their respective preparatory school or designated senior military college rival at least twice (1/1a).