Game structure: 4 quarters of 8 minutes each (NCAA spec; FIVB international is 4 × 8 also for adult competition); 2-minute breaks between Q1/Q2 and Q3/Q4; 5-minute halftime; Tied at end of regulation: NCAA tournament — 3-minute golden-goal overtime periods; if needed, penalty shootout
Why people argue about this
People often assume that water polo games in NCAA use 8-minute quarters like basketball, forgetting about the key detail of having 4 quarters instead. They also misunderstand how overtime works; they think it's a sudden-death format where the first team to score wins, but actually, teams get 3 minutes each to try and break the tie before a coin toss decides who gets the ball first.
