Over the years, basketball has become less popular. Due to the NBA lockout a few years ago, and the fact that basketball has numerous rules and terms that may be hard to understand, many people find themselves neglecting the sport.
However, college basketball is incredibly popular throughout March, when the NCAA basketball tournament takes place.
Throughout this 68 team bracket, teams across the country compete for their chance at the national championship, as their fans fill out their brackets to compete for prizes and bragging rights. As the end of February is approaching, “March Madness” is right around the corner.
Understanding the following terms will allow you to follow your favorite team throughout the tournament and enjoy the 67 games much more.
Basic Basketball
1. Technical foul –A technical foul most often comes from an act of unsportsmanlike conduct. The most common technical fouls come from an extra push or activity by the players after the whistle is blown, or excessive yelling by the coach to an official. For example, imagine CMU’s coach continues to yell at the referee on a questionable call and gets a technical. The opposing coach would then pick one of his players on the court to shoot two free throws.
2. Free Throws– Free throws are awarded after a player is fouled while shooting, after a technical foul, or when the opposing team has seven or more fouls in a half. The amount of free throws depends on the situation. For example, if the player shot a 2 pointer (anywhere inside the 3 point line) the player would shoot two free throws. However, if the player was attempting a 3 point shot when they were fouled, they would attempt three free throws. Each free throw made is worth one point. This happens very frequently towards the end of a close game.
3. Over and Back Penalty – Although the many rules in basketball may cause confusion, the over and back penalty is pretty easy to remember because of its name. The rule enforces that once a player with the ball crosses over the half-court line, they can’t go backwards. In other words, you can’t cross over the line, and then go back over it.
Tournament Knowledge
1. Seeding- Throughout the NCAA tournament, the 68 teams are “seeded” 1 through 16 in each of the 4 different regions. Teams are seeded by their record, and what teams they’ve previously beaten. For example, if team “A” beat team “B” earlier in the season and also has a better record, team “A” would be seeded higher in the tournament. Being seeded higher is also better because in the first couple rounds of the tournament, high seeds are paired up to play against low seeds in order to get rid of the “not as good” teams.
2. When does the tournament start? The NCAA tournament will begin the first round on March 19, and games will be played until the Championship game on April 8.
3. How do I fill out a bracket? Brackets for the tournament can be found all over the internet and in newspapers.
4. What are the “Sweet 16”, “Elite 8”, and “Final 4”? These popular phrases used throughout the tournament are EXACTLY what they sound like.
a. Sweet 16- The last sixteen teams left in the tournament
b. Elite 8- The eight teams remaining in the tournament
c. Final 4- The last four teams in the tournament. The two winners battle for the Championship game.
Although these aren’t all of the terms of the game, it will make watching your favorite team more exciting and give you the extra edge this March.
Photo credit http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2010/09/the-nbas-new-standard-for-technicals/