New 3-point line for men's college B-Ball

Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor

Change to come 20 years after old line was instituted.

Long jump shots just got longer, thanks to a rule change that is taking effect this season in men’s basketball.

The NCAA has moved the men’s three-point line back a full foot, from 19 feet, nine inches to 20 feet, nine inches. The rule change was approved in August, when the NCAA distributed its updated court diagram for the upcoming season.

The old line was instituted at the start of the 1986-87 season and was the three-point line for college basketball down to middle school. Last year in men’s basketball, teams shot an average of 35 percent from three-point range. The rule change just might bring more balance back to the game, according to Bill Johnson, assistant athletic director.

“It might get the inside game back by spreading defenses out. It won’t be a huge adjustment for the offensive players,” Johnson said. This means that because defenses have more floorspace to cover, offenses will be able to get the ball inside more often to their post players. The change might also have an impact on how the half-court game is played.

“I think it’ll make a big difference in the high-low game. I think it’ll highlight the inside game,” Johnson said. He feels that the post-up game, where a forward plays with his back to the basket, has been lost for a while.

“You gotta have a balanced game for the nights when the threes aren’t going down,” Johnson said, noticing in recent years that players are settling more for three-pointers instead of working on having balance in the other parts of their games.

Johnson believes that the evolution of the game has made the three-pointer an easier shot, especially since players are much bigger and stronger now than they were 20 to 25 years ago. However, he feels that on offense, some players won’t have to make as much of an adjustment as others.

“The pure shooters can knock down jump shots. A foot either way doesn’t make a difference. The streak shooters will have to make an adjustment,” Johnson says.
No one will know for sure how effective the new three-point line will be until the statistics come out at the end of this season.