women's coaches support changes

[Harry]

Women’s college basketball will have a different look next season and Conference USA coaches seem to think that’s a good thing.

The Daily News spoke this week to six league coaches, including Western Kentucky’s Michelle Clark-Heard, about new rules for the 2015-16 year.

The most noticeable change involves the format of a game, which will now consist of four 10-minute quarters rather than two 20-minute halves.

For the most part the six coaches, including Heard, said they supported the new rules that were adopted.

“I think it’ll be fun for the fans,” Heard said. “At the end of the day it’s about the excitement for our game and improving our game in every way possible.”

The four-quarter rule was approved Monday by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel. Other rules approved Monday included:

•The ability to advance the ball to the frontcourt following a timeout immediately after a made basket in the last 59.9 seconds of the fourth quarter and any overtime periods.

•Not resetting the 10-second backcourt clock under certain circumstances.

•The ability of a defender to establish one point of contact on an offensive post player whose back is to the basket.

•Teams will now reach the bonus and shoot two free throws on the fifth foul of each quarter.

Read more:  http://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/wku/c-usa-women-s-coaches-support-changes/article_9dd2c059-04a4-5472-ac8e-1abdf64155f4.html