🏛️Official — NCAA
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Call off the press when winning by a large margin late
Continuing to run a full-court press against an overmatched opponent in the final minutes of a blowout is widely condemned as disrespectful. Coaches who maintain traps and presses up 25+ points late in games draw criticism from peers, media, and fans for prioritizing stats over sportsmanship.
Help a fallen opponent to her feet
Reaching down to help an opposing player up after a collision, hard foul, or fall is a deeply ingrained sign of respect in women's basketball. Failing to offer a hand — especially after a foul you committed — is noticed and considered disrespectful.
Participate in the postgame handshake line with genuine respect
After games, players line up to shake hands with opponents. Going through the motions coldly, refusing to make eye contact, or skipping the line entirely is considered a serious breach of sportsmanship. The expectation is genuine acknowledgment, not a perfunctory gesture.
Opponents injured on the floor are met with immediate stillness and silence from both benches
When a player is injured and down, all competitive posturing stops. Players from both teams take a knee, coaches stand quietly, and play resumes only after the injured player is attended to and the situation is resolved. Continuing to warm up, talk loudly, or act indifferent is considered deeply disrespectful.
Basket: 18-inch ring at 10 feet (3.05 m) height; Backboard: 6 feet wide × 3.5 feet high, rectangular; Net: white cord, 15-18 inches
Why people argue about this
People often assume that mouthguards are optional for women's basketball just because they're recommended, forgetting that wearing one is a mandatory safety measure enforced by the NCAA. Meanwhile, some players or coaches might misunderstand the jewelry rule as allowing all forms of religious headwear, not realizing it only permits exceptions under specific religious exemptions.
Flagrant 1: excessive contact not directed at head/neck — 2 FT + possession; remains in game; Flagrant 2: dangerous or intentional contact, head/neck contact — 2 FT + possession + ejection; Replay review confirms flagrant fouls
Why people argue about this
People often assume that a Flagrant 1 is just as serious as a Flagrant 2 in terms of penalties, but actually, a Flagrant 2 results in an automatic one-game suspension for the offending player, whereas a Flagrant 1 only leads to a technical foul and usually a free throw.
Four 10-minute quarters (adopted 2015-16; distinguishes NCAA W's from NCAA M's halves); 2-minute breaks between Q1/Q2 and Q3/Q4; 15-minute halftime; 5-minute overtime periods until a winner is determined
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the shot clock resets only after a possession change or an offensive rebound, forgetting about the last two minutes of each quarter where it automatically restarts regardless of what happened in those final seconds. This oversight leads to confusion and disputes over when the 30-second shot clock actually starts ticking again.
Closely-guarded 5-second rule (defender within 6 feet); Backcourt 10-second rule; 3-second lane violation
— rule 3
Why people argue about this
People often assume that NCAA Women's basketball teams foul out at their 6th team foul per quarter, just like men's games, but actually they foul out at their 5th team foul in each quarter and all subsequent fouls result in two free throws for the opposing team. This subtle difference can lead to strategic miscalculations by coaches and players.
Traveling, double dribble, carrying, goaltending, basket interference; 5-second closely-guarded, 10-second backcourt, 3-second lane
Why people argue about this
People often assume that other violations in basketball are just about players running with the ball or touching it twice, forgetting that there's also goaltending (when a defender illegally stays in front of an opponent who has gained control of the ball) and basket interference (when a player touches the ball while it’s in the air above the rim), which can be more nuanced and confusing.
5 personal fouls = foul out. Common personal fouls: blocking, charging, pushing, holding, hand-checking, illegal screen.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that a personal foul is just about physical contact like pushing or holding, which leads them to miss understanding that it can also apply to more nuanced calls like illegal screens or hand-checking, where players are penalized for interfering with opponents in ways that aren't always immediately obvious.
Same uniform standards as the men's variant: team uniform with school logo and unique numbers, athletic shoes for indoor surface. Mouthguards recommended; jewelry prohibited except per religious-exemption framework.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that since men's basketball allows more leniency with player apparel (like allowing loose-fitting shirts), women's basketball should follow suit, but actually, the NCAA Women's Basketball rules mirror those of men's to maintain uniformity and competitive fairness across genders on this specific point.
Same uniform standards as the men's variant: team uniform with school logo and unique numbers, athletic shoes for indoor surface. Mouthguards recommended; jewelry prohibited except per religious-exemption framework.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that mouthguards are only recommended for protection and don't realize they're required by NCAA rules, leading to misunderstandings about their necessity. Meanwhile, jewelry exemptions can be tricky as players might not understand how strictly "religious-exemption framework" is applied, potentially sparking debates on what qualifies as a religious item.
Bench, scorer's table, and 28-foot coach's box layout match the men's specification.
Why people argue about this
People often argue that the coach's box dimensions should be smaller than in men’s basketball due to a misunderstanding of the official specifications, thinking it's meant to mirror the men's version which is larger, but actually, the NCAA women's rule explicitly states they match the men's specification, just at different scales.
Unlimited substitutions at dead-ball stoppages on the scorer's signal; substituted players may re-enter.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that unlimited substitutions mean they can substitute whenever they want during a game, which isn't correct. The rule specifically states substitutions are allowed only at dead-ball stoppages on the scorer's signal, so players can't just come in and out of the game whenever they feel like it; there must be a proper timing dictated by the game clock.
Four 10-minute quarters (adopted 2015-16; distinguishes NCAA W's from NCAA M's halves); 2-minute breaks between Q1/Q2 and Q3/Q4; 15-minute halftime; 5-minute overtime periods until a winner is determined
— rule 3
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the team-foul bonus only applies when a team reaches five fouls in total across all quarters, which can lead to confusion about how it affects game strategy. However, the bonus actually kicks in as soon as each team hits five fouls in their respective quarter, regardless of what happened in other quarters or halves.
2-point field goal inside the arc; 3-point field goal beyond the 22'1.75" arc; 1-point free throw; Most points wins; tied at end of regulation = 5-min OT periods until winner
Why people argue about this
People often assume that a 2-point shot is worth just one point if made from inside the arc in NCAA Women's Basketball, which leads to misunderstandings about scoring opportunities and game strategies. The confusion arises because they overlook the fact that all field goals within the key (arc) are indeed worth two points.
5 personal fouls = foul out. Common personal fouls: blocking, charging, pushing, holding, hand-checking, illegal screen.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that a foul out means getting immediately ejected from the game just for 5 personal fouls, forgetting that they have to be committed consecutively in play before you get sent off. The confusion arises because they mix up the immediate ejection aspect with the accumulation of 5 fouls leading to a technical foul and then an automatic ejection after a delay of game warning.
Concussion protocol identical to NCAA men's: medical observers and team medical staff have authority to remove a player; graduated return-to-play assessment required. Flagrant-2 ejection framework protects against head/neck contact.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the concussion protocol in women's basketball is less strict than in men's simply because it mirrors NCAA men's rules. However, the real confusion arises because the graduated return-to-play process for concussions is actually more stringent and detailed in women’s basketball guidelines to ensure safer play, despite using similar removal authority structures.
30-second shot clock — resets to 30 on possession change; resets to 20 on offensive rebound; Shot must contact the rim before the clock expires; failure is a violation
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the shot clock resets only at halftime, forgetting about the 20-second reset on offensive rebounds, leading to arguments over when exactly it should be restarted after a missed field goal or foul.
Unlimited substitutions at dead-ball stoppages on the scorer's signal; substituted players may re-enter.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that unlimited substitutions mean they can go crazy with subbing whenever they want, which leads to arguments about when exactly a dead-ball situation occurs for substitution purposes in basketball games. The confusion arises because this rule only applies at official stoppages like timeouts or halftime, not during live play breaks between plays.
Bonus starts at the team's 5th team foul per quarter — the offended team shoots 2 free throws; Team-foul totals reset to zero at the start of each quarter; The last 2 minutes of any quarter: any team foul carries 2 free throws regardless of count
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the Team-Foul Bonus resets at halftime instead of the start of each quarter, leading to misunderstandings about when teams need to be more cautious with their fouls in a game's second half. The confusion arises because they forget the rule specifically mentions resetting at the start of every quarter, not just halfway through.
Class A unsporting (taunting, fighting, profanity): 2 FT + possession; 2 = ejection; Class B (delay-of-game, illegal substitution): 1 FT + possession; Class C (administrative): 1 or 2 FT
Why people argue about this
People often think that a technical foul is just about cursing or taunting, so they argue whether every instance of profanity or bad language should result in a tech foul. Actually, the confusion arises because this rule specifically targets unsportsmanlike conduct like arguing with officials or deliberately interfering with players during play, not all instances of verbal abuse.
Women's ball: size 6, circumference 28.5 inches (72.4 cm), weight 20 oz (567 g); NCAA-approved leather or composite cover; orange standard color
Why people argue about this
People often assume that mouthguards are only for protection against teeth damage, not as a way to prevent concussions, leading to misunderstandings about why they're recommended in basketball. Meanwhile, others argue that jewelry exemptions should be more inclusive and cover all forms of religious attire rather than just specific items like headbands or necklaces.