Women's Watch: NCAA changing women's basketball rules to lure in fans

Rules get a bad rap.

Some rules can actually be good, such as the rules that have been implemented over the last couple of seasons in women's college basketball.

Officials have been calling more fouls, both in the paint and even on the perimeter with the recent emphasis on reducing contact. The hope by coaches and administrators who favored such a move was that a less physical, more finesse game would increase scoring and be more fan-friendly.

Initially, the game was actually slowed as more fouls than usual were called. But now that players have adjusted to the officiating, the less contact emphasis is probably helping the pace of the games and the opportunities to score.

Now, the NCAA is changing another rule, one that separates college basketball from high school and professional basketball. As of this year, the women will play four 10-minute quarters instead of two 20-minute halves.

The men will still stay with the 20-minute format.

The theory is that four quarters are more fan-friendly. There are four opportunities to make exciting final plays of the period. That means more strategy, more drama. Also, breaks in the action are more predictable, which is good for fans who want concessions and game staff who want to entertain and market to those fans.

"It aligns itself with the pro game, which is good," Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant said of the four quarters rule. "More opportunities, I think, for marketing and to make the game a little fun for the fans."

It's good that the NCAA and its coaches are open to evolving the game and its rules. However, it's doubtful that Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma will ever get his biggest wish on a rule change.

Auriemma, winner of 10 Division I national championships since 1995, suggested a few years ago to the Hartford Courant that the best way to make women's college basketball more marketable and exciting is to lower the rims from the standard 10 feet.

"What makes fans not want to watch women's basketball is that some of the players can't shoot and they miss layups and that forces the game to slow down," Auriemma said. "How do you help improve that? Lower the rim. Do you think the average fan knows that the net is lower in women's volleyball than men's volleyball? It's about seven inches shorter, so the women (who are shorter, on average) have the chance for the same kind of success at the net (as the men)."

Of course, Auriemma took some major heat for this suggestion. Some people took it as an insult to women, as a move that would diminish the integrity of the game and make women appear weaker.

Honestly, a rule change of that magnitude is intriguing and could transform the women's game in a significantly positive way. It's radical, yes. But any change that is effective and worthwhile usually is.

Plus, more women could dunk. And as superficial as it seems to the purists, basketball fans love dunks.

"The system (of attracting more fans to women's basketball games) is not working and when something isn't working, you should work to make changes," Auriemma said. "If the changes don't work, well, at least you tried. It's a lot better than just complaining about everything all the time."

Purple pride:

With four double-figure scoring starters back from a team that won the most games in program history in 20 years (23 games last season), Northwestern is on the verge of an even bigger breakout.

Apparently, others in the know agree. The Wildcats, who welcome back standouts Maggie Lyon, Lauren Douglas, Nia Coffey and Ashley Deary, have been picked as high as 12th in one of the national polls (Athlon) and have been picked to finish third in the Big Ten.

"You know, when I took the job (in 2008) we were voted 12th and there were 11 teams in the league," Northwestern coach Joe McKeown said. "We had a great breakthrough year last year, and we have some people returning who have paid their dues in the Big Ten. They've gone through a lot of the ups and downs, snowstorms.

"We take these things (preseason rankings) with a grain of salt, so we're trying to stay grounded. But also, I want them to enjoy it, too."

Follow Patricia's reports on Twitter @babcockmcgraw and contact her via email at pbabcock@dailyherald.com.