LINKS: Will 3-Point Rule Change Help Hoyas?

The Georgetown Hoyas faithful are certainly excited about scheduling news but many fans are also abuzz about the NCAA’s rule changes and how Patrick Ewing’s squad can handle the potential effects on shooting, spacing, pace, and defense.

With two sophomore guards in James Akinjo and Mac McClung who have been known to both enjoy launching from deep, as well as driving hard in the lane, the pace-conscious Hoyas may be in a position to benefit from the new rules.

Jahvon Blair and Jamorko Pickett have been no strangers to parking lot pull-up jumpers. Grad-transfer Terrell Allen has proven to be a consistent shooter and can find cutter through open windows. Omer Yurtseven’s three point shot doesn’t appear restricted to toes-on-the-arc attempts and a bit more space might give him and Josh LeBlanc a little more room on the low post.

On the other hand, will the distance deter some newer/unproven shooters from camping out?

Will Ewing use more zone to defend the paint with the expected drop in opponent shooting percentage?

Here are the links:

Men’s college basketball 3-point line extended to international distance | NCAA

The rule will be effective for the 2019-20 season in Division I...

Men’s Basketball Rules Committee members recommended the change after receiving positive feedback from the annual rules survey from coaches whose teams competed in the 2018 and 2019 National Invitation Tournament, where the international 3-point distance was used on an experimental basis.

The committee cited the following rationale for extending the line:

-Making the lane more available for dribble/drive plays from the perimeter.

-Slowing the trend of the 3-point shot becoming too prevalent in men’s college basketball by making the shot a bit more challenging, while at the same time keeping the shot an integral part of the game.

-Assisting in offensive spacing by requiring the defense to cover more of the court.

Teams in the 2019 NIT averaged 23.1 field goal attempts in the tournament from behind the arc, compared with 22.8 3-point attempts in the 2018-19 regular season. The 3-point shooting percentage of teams in the 2019 NIT was 33%, compared with their regular season average of 35.2%.

NCAA Moves Men’s 3-Point Line Back as Part of Rule Changes for 2019-20 Season | BLEACHERREPORT

Although some players will struggle with the longer distance, it will likely decrease reliance on the three throughout the country. Perhaps more importantly, it should open up the court and create more space in the paint for drives and low-post play.

Meanwhile, another rule change that could improve offensive play is that shot clocks will only reset to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound instead of the usual 30. “The change is being made to enhance the pace of the game,” the NCAA said in the release.

NCAA approves rule changes including moving back 3-point line to international distance | CBSSPORTS

”After gathering information over the last two seasons, we feel it’s time to make the change,” said Tad Boyle, committee chair and coach at Colorado. “Freedom of movement in the game remains important, and we feel this will open up the game. We believe this will remove some of the congestion on the way to the basket.”

Official: The men’s college basketball 3-point line is moving back | SPORTS.YAHOO

The international line has been tested in the postseason NIT over the last two seasons. And, as you can imagine, three-point percentage has declined with the line further out from the basket. Teams in the 2019 NIT shot roughly the same number of three-pointers as teams did in the 2018-19 regular season. But teams shot 33 percent from behind the arc compared to a regular-season average of 35.2 percent...

If the NIT is any indication, the longer line won’t lead to an immediate drop in the number of threes per game. But if teams continue to shoot slightly worse because of the longer line then they’ll likely start taking fewer threes per game.

Guerin Emig: Would moving the 3-point line really help unclog college basketball? | TULSAWORLD

The college players could try to drive into the lane more, assuming they can beat their defenders off the dribble. “We don’t have NBA players everywhere,” Boynton warned.

“The game could be more challenging for guys because they won’t be able to shoot the longer 3, and then they can’t make NBA-type plays off the dribble and get into the lane as quickly.”

The college players could throw it into the post more often, assuming it’ll be a little tougher for perimeter defenders to sag and double the bigs down low.

“But you’ve got to eliminate contact in the post on shots,” Kruger said. “That would make it a more attractive play to throw the ball inside. Right now, it’s just not a high percentage play unless that player is really skilled.

Proposed new 3-point line will not change Bruce Pearl’s style | 247SPORTS

“I’m still going to play the same way,” Pearl said. “I’m still going to believe in it. I think it’s important to space the floor. At the same time, you’ve got to scratch where it itches as our old friend Hayden Fry said. If I’ve got guys who can’t shoot it, they’re not going to. We’ve got to work on our range during the offseason. It’ll take a year or two for the percentages to go right back to where they were.”