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<\/p>\nAcross the country, coaches seem to be universally in favor of the new rule for the 2025-26 season that allows them to challenge calls from the bench. When to use those challenges, on the other hand, may require a proverbial \u201ctrip to the monitor.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new rule is similar to the one the NBA introduced in 2019: Coaches can challenge an out-of-bounds call, basket interference and\/or goaltending, or whether or not a secondary defender was in the restricted area under the basket. Fouls cannot be challenged, but officials can still go to the replay monitor to determine time and score, as well as a flagrant foul.<\/p>\n
The intent of this rule change is to speed up the game by limiting those monitor trips (and eliminating players calling for officials to go to the monitor by twirling their finger in the air) and forcing a stoppage of play.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Under the new system, coaches are allowed one challenge per game, and only a coach can call for a challenge, but only if there is a timeout available. If the challenge leads to an overturned call, the coach gets another challenge; if the call was correct, the team loses its challenge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Purdue coach Matt Painter, who said he could have used a challenge late in his team\u2019s Sweet Sixteen loss to Houston, is a fan of the new rule, saying going to the monitor six or seven times in a game is too much. \u201cYou want to get it right,\u2019\u2019 Painter told Hoops HQ. \u201cThat\u2019s all you want.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
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Purdue lost last season to an uncalled offensive foul on Houston\u2019s Milos Uzan. A replay challenge could have changed everything.<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
Officials can still go to the monitor at their discretion for basket interference\/goaltending and restricted-arc plays in the final two minutes and overtime. But out-of-bound plays are limited to a challenge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And it has to be a head coach, not a player, who calls for the challenge, said Jeff O\u2019Malley, the NCAA Men\u2019s Basketball Secretary of Rules Editor for the Rules Committee. \u201cThe coaches have the control. If they want to use it for a big play at the 12-minute mark then they can use it then\u2026It will clean up the end of the game. It has worked at the NBA level.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
The NCAA has experimented with this rule in the NIT and the Crown postseason tournaments. The hope is that this will help\u00a0 games finish within the desired two-hour time window for television partners.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Coaches like Michigan\u2019s Dusty May and Georgia Tech\u2019s Damon Stoudamire said they were in favor and didn\u2019t like the constant break in rhythm with so many trips to the monitor, but when to use the challenge has been a major discussion point during the offseason.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ole Miss coach Chris Beard said he would probably save it for the later stages of the game. He also said there are going to be a lot of staff members with iPads behind the bench, empowered to let the head coach know a call is worth challenging. He said a quick thumbs up to challenge is going to be needed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s going to be a lot of strategy with this,\u2019\u2019 said Kansas coach Bill Self. \u201cWill you use it early on? Probably no. It\u2019s going to take time to get used to it, but it\u2019s a good rule.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
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