Why Men's College Basketball Games Have Two Halves, Not Four Quarters

ByScotty Jenkins

4 min read

Why Men's College Basketball Games Have Two Halves, Not Four Quarters

The game of basketball was created in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith. In his original rule book, he stated that the game would be "played in two fifteen minute halves with rest time in between".  His goal was to create a sport that could be played between football and baseball season, in an effort to provide additional conditioning and team-building opportunities.

Over a century later in 2022, NCAA Men's Basketball games have only deviated slightly from Naismith's original rules, playing two twenty-minute halves. But for some reason, the men's college-level is the only one to stick to this idea.

Women’s college basketball games (as well as the WNBA) on the other hand, are played with four ten minute quarters.

The professional men's basketball league (NBA) also uses four quarters to split up a game, with each lasting twelve minutes.

Want to figure out why this change did or didn't happen? Follow along in this article for an explanation as to why there is such a discrepancy between halves and quarters in the modern day game of basketball we all know and love.


Why NCAA Men's Basketball Games Have Two Halves

After Naismith created the game, it was easy to see that two fifteen minute halves simply weren’t long enough for a high scoring, competitive game.  In 1905, the rules were adjusted to what we now see in Men's NCAA basketball - two twenty-minute halves.  

In 1951, the rules were changed again, resulting in each contest having four ten-minute quarters of basketball for both the NBA and NCAA.  But in 1954, the NCAA went back to playing halves while the NBA simply kept the new four-quarter rule and added two minutes to each - resulting in the current twelve-minute quarters that still exist today.

Basketball writers and Twitter commenters alike have many theories as to why the NCAA switched back to the original two halves of basketball. The most prominent theory is simple, though...

It makes the game more competitive.

Longer halves means less stoppages during a game, leading to more scoring opportunities, a steady pace and flow, and closer games between a wider range of teams. Even in 1954, they were trying to help make the "Cinderella Stories" happen.

That rule has led to more excitement spectators and a more competitive atmosphere among the 1,000+ colleges competing at the NCAA level. All of these factors have contributed to larger viewership for individual games and one of the most lucrative tournaments in all of sports: March Madness.


Halves vs. Quarters: How They Effect The Rules

  • The largest effect the Halves vs. Quarters debate has in the game of basketball is related individual and team fouls, and the free throws offered from bonuses.

At the NCAA collegiate level, a team reaches the "1:1 Bonus" when their opponents reach 7 fouls per half. The 1:1 Bonus means with each subsequent foul, the fouled player gets one free throw - or two free throws if they make the first.

Once a team reaches ten fouls, the opposing team moves to the "Double Bonus" - meaning with each subsequent foul, the opposite team gets to shoot two free throws, instead of the single free throw guaranteed with a 1:1 bonus.

In the NBA, the team shoots two free throws after five fouls that reset at the end of each quarter.  The simple change in team fouls and bonus free throws has a large effect on the game’s momentum and scoring.

  • The only other real consequence of halves vs. quarters falls on media timeouts that directly translates to overall revenue for an organization.

When playing two halves basketball is able to have four TV timeouts, with quarters it is reduced to three TV timeouts.  While this doesn’t affect the rules of the game directly, we all know that revenue and dollar signs are a driving force behind many decisions in professional and college sports.


Basketball Fans Weigh In On The Debate

The debate of halves vs. quarters in NCAA basketball wouldn’t be a true debate without feedback from loyal spectators, but it is not as black and white as one might think.  NCAA fans are truly divided on their feelings of watching four quarters of basketball or two halves.

In terms of flow of the game, fans are cut down the middle on whether moving to quarters will increase or decrease the flow of the game.  While it might cut down on foul calling and bonus opportunities with free throws, having more breaks in a four quarter game seems counterproductive when addressing less stoppage time.

There was a large debate at the 2021 committee meeting for rule changes to NCAA Men’s basketball, including “Introduce quasi quarters by resetting team fouls at 10-minute mark of each half. Begin double bonus on fifth foul within each 10-minute segment. This eliminates the one-and-one free throw”.

Only time will reveal the true nature of how these proposals play out.


The Future Structure of Basketball Games

Committees meet regularly to discuss new rule proposals and current rule changes to ensure that the game we all love so much stays that way.  Members of the committee are passionate about optimizing player abilities, increasing viewership, and overall interest in the game of basketball.

Based on the historical track record of halves vs. quarters in basketball, it seems that this debate will continue to fuel the opinions of fans in all organizations of the game.

Are you an Athlete?

Create a free profile to access the largest network specifically designed to connect athletes to opportunities. Get started.

RELATED ARTICLES
Dribbling Mastery: Unlocking Essential Skills for Athletes

Dribbling Mastery: Unlocking Essential Skills for Athletes

Mastering the art of dribbling is like having a secret weapon on the basketball court. It's the...

ByTiffany Allen | Mon Dec 04 2023
Elevating Your Game: Advanced Volleyball Drills for Elite Athletes

Elevating Your Game: Advanced Volleyball Drills for Elite Athletes

The sport of volleyball has seen remarkable growth and success in Canada, on both national and...

ByTiffany Allen | Thu Oct 05 2023
Ace Your Game: A Youth Volleyball Training Guide for Success

Ace Your Game: A Youth Volleyball Training Guide for Success

Are you looking to become a future volleyball superstar? If you're passionate about spiking,...

ByTiffany Allen | Wed Oct 04 2023
Soccer Drills for Kids: Building a Strong Foundation

Soccer Drills for Kids: Building a Strong Foundation

Soccer drills are a fundamental part of any young player's development. Not only do they improve...

ByTiffany Allen | Mon Jul 17 2023
5 Essential Defensive Drills in Basketball

5 Essential Defensive Drills in Basketball

Defense is a crucial part of basketball, and mastering defensive drills can make all the difference...

ByTiffany Allen | Tue Jun 13 2023
How Rowing Can Help You Train For These Popular Sports

How Rowing Can Help You Train For These Popular Sports

Rowing is more than a sport. It's a world-renowned form of exercise that can help keep you in shape...

ByTiffany Allen | Thu Apr 20 2023
College Basketball: Four Coaches Who Could Switch Jobs After March Madness

College Basketball: Four Coaches Who Could Switch Jobs After March Madness

While the games from November through February certainly count in the standings, the tilts that...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Mar 15 2023
Name, Image, & Likeness: March Madness Offers Rare NIL Opportunities

Name, Image, & Likeness: March Madness Offers Rare NIL Opportunities

For college basketball fans around the country, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year....

ByAndrew Pistone | Tue Mar 07 2023
'Is It Like Baseball?': Comparing Cricket to America's Pasttime

'Is It Like Baseball?': Comparing Cricket to America's Pasttime

Sports have a unique way of bringing people together through their differences and similarities....

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Mar 06 2023
When Values Clash: Tackling the Alignment Problem for Sports Organizations and Athletes

When Values Clash: Tackling the Alignment Problem for Sports Organizations and Athletes

More than a century ago, Teddy Roosevelt Jr's injury during an amateur football game resulted in...

ByJoey Grant | Thu Mar 02 2023
USA Triathlon Coach Helps Find An Alternative Workout To Running And Cycling This Winter

USA Triathlon Coach Helps Find An Alternative Workout To Running And Cycling This Winter

As the winter weather settles in, many outdoor athletes are faced with a decision: either tread...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Feb 22 2023
Five Reasons Why College Basketball Coaches Rescind Scholarship Offers

Five Reasons Why College Basketball Coaches Rescind Scholarship Offers

It’s what you have dreamed of, worked for, and waited on your whole life - a coveted college...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Feb 13 2023
Sports Injuries and Insurance: Four Facts Parents & Recruits Should Know

Sports Injuries and Insurance: Four Facts Parents & Recruits Should Know

Injuries are a major part of athletics, and a high percentage of student-athletes competing in NCAA...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Feb 07 2023
Why The Transfer Portal Is So Important For College Basketball Coaches

Why The Transfer Portal Is So Important For College Basketball Coaches

2019 was a transformative year in NCAA athletics. The NCAA Transfer Portal, a database which allows...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Sun Dec 11 2022
Recruiting Rankings: Should I Be Worried If I’m Not A Ranked Basketball Player?

Recruiting Rankings: Should I Be Worried If I’m Not A Ranked Basketball Player?

Getting ranked - it’s the ultimate goal and source of motivation for many basketball players across...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sun Dec 04 2022
How similar is the NCAA Transfer Portal to free agency in professional sports?

How similar is the NCAA Transfer Portal to free agency in professional sports?

The NCAA Transfer Portal is a great platform that is beneficial to student-athletes. It allows...

ByScotty Jenkins | Fri Dec 02 2022
"What Is A 5-Star Recruit?": Explaining how high school basketball prospect rankings work

"What Is A 5-Star Recruit?": Explaining how high school basketball prospect rankings work

High School basketball players like Bronny James are all over TV and social media nowadays, with...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Dec 01 2022
College Soccer: What is the difference between NCAA Division-I & NAIA?

College Soccer: What is the difference between NCAA Division-I & NAIA?

Many soccer athletes across the United States aspire to play their sport at the college level, and...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sat Nov 26 2022
What is a 'Draw'? And Why Ties Still Exist in the World's Most Popular Sport

What is a 'Draw'? And Why Ties Still Exist in the World's Most Popular Sport

When it comes to the growing popularity of soccer in the United States, perhaps one of the...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Nov 23 2022
Which College Sports Mascots Are The Most Polarizing?

Which College Sports Mascots Are The Most Polarizing?

They’re one of the most crucial aspects to a college sports viewing experience. The players?...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Nov 21 2022
Five Ways To Boost Your Basketball Recruiting with Social Media

Five Ways To Boost Your Basketball Recruiting with Social Media

Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, GMTM, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook... Social media is a...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Sat Nov 19 2022
Important Beach Volleyball Terminology to Know Before You Watch

Important Beach Volleyball Terminology to Know Before You Watch

Beach volleyball [gmtm.com/articles/tag/beach-volleyball] is a fun and exciting sport for the...

ByScotty Jenkins | Fri Nov 04 2022
What are College Football’s New Overtime Rules?

What are College Football’s New Overtime Rules?

In the 21st century, major sports have had to walk an interesting tightrope. They’ve had to balance...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Oct 24 2022
Transfer Portal: Does Every Athlete Who Transfers Find A New College To Play For?

Transfer Portal: Does Every Athlete Who Transfers Find A New College To Play For?

On the 15th of October, 2018 the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) introduced a...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Oct 19 2022
How To Run Faster: Five Best Strength Training Workouts For Track Athletes

How To Run Faster: Five Best Strength Training Workouts For Track Athletes

In order to be successful in track, athletes should devote a considerable amount of time to lifting...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Oct 05 2022
College Basketball: Midnight Madness and the start of the CBB schedule

College Basketball: Midnight Madness and the start of the CBB schedule

Many college basketball fans think that the season gets underway in earnest around Thanksgiving,...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Sep 30 2022
College Football's "Dead Money": Why Fired Coaches Keep Getting Paid

College Football's "Dead Money": Why Fired Coaches Keep Getting Paid

We’re at the point in the college football calendar where teams are assessing whether they’d like...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Sep 28 2022
College Football: Five Stars Who Could Have Benefitted Most from NIL Ruling

College Football: Five Stars Who Could Have Benefitted Most from NIL Ruling

The NCAA's Division I Board of Directors announced a new...

ByBryan Armetta | Sat Sep 24 2022
College Sports: How To Pick The Right School To Attend

College Sports: How To Pick The Right School To Attend

Picking the right college can be a tough task for any high school senior, but it can be a unique...

ByAlexis Peltzer-Harding | Fri Sep 23 2022
How Recruits Can Ask A School For More Athletic Scholarship Money

How Recruits Can Ask A School For More Athletic Scholarship Money

Athletes and parents often ask for college scholarship money during the athletic recruiting...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Sep 21 2022
Is playing College Soccer the best route to making the MLS?

Is playing College Soccer the best route to making the MLS?

Earlier this month, we witnessed the 2021 Major League...

ByJohnathan Wright | Sat Sep 17 2022
College Basketball: What Is The NCAA Transfer Portal And How Does It Work

College Basketball: What Is The NCAA Transfer Portal And How Does It Work

With the ever-changing NCAA and college athletics scene, transfer athletes have become more and...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Sep 15 2022
College Football: Why Head Coach Salaries At Top Schools Keep Going Up

College Football: Why Head Coach Salaries At Top Schools Keep Going Up

What does one normally associate with the position of college football head coach? Leaders of men....

ByBryan Armetta | Sun Sep 04 2022
How UConn Has Dominated Women’s College Basketball

How UConn Has Dominated Women’s College Basketball

Women’s College Basketball and UConn are two terms that you will often hear together as they have...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Sep 01 2022
Basketball Recruiting: Four Ways To Improve Your Chances Of Getting A Scholarship

Basketball Recruiting: Four Ways To Improve Your Chances Of Getting A Scholarship

College basketball recruiting is structured in a time-sensitive and fast-paced manner:...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Aug 29 2022
Five Ways To Gain A College Basketball Coach’s Attention in the First Correspondence

Five Ways To Gain A College Basketball Coach’s Attention in the First Correspondence

Whether by writing a letter or sending an e-mail, reaching out to a college basketball coach for...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Thu Aug 25 2022
Five Benefits Of Playing Sports At A Division-III College

Five Benefits Of Playing Sports At A Division-III College

With limited exposure to most casual sports fans and stadiums that are smaller than some Texas high...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Aug 25 2022
A Few Reasons Why Americans Are So Obsessed With College Sports

A Few Reasons Why Americans Are So Obsessed With College Sports

Of all the interesting traditions Americans have, few are more difficult for a foreign audience to...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Aug 23 2022
Can Group NIL Deals Help Create Earning Potential Balance?

Can Group NIL Deals Help Create Earning Potential Balance?

The landmark decision to allow student athletes in college to profit off of their name, image and...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Aug 22 2022
Does Having a Top Recruiting Class Promise Success?

Does Having a Top Recruiting Class Promise Success?

Although the success of a football program is built on wins and losses, recruiting has never played...

ByBryan Armetta | Sat Aug 20 2022
Four Things Recruiting Highlights Don't Show College Basketball Coaches

Four Things Recruiting Highlights Don't Show College Basketball Coaches

You clipped together the perfect highlight tape: the half-court buzzer beater, the flashy handles,...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Fri Aug 19 2022
Step-By-Step Guide to the College Sports Recruiting Process

Step-By-Step Guide to the College Sports Recruiting Process

Young athletes all over the world dream of playing their sport at the college level....

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Aug 18 2022
NCAA Eligibility Center: Five Things Every High School Athlete Should Know

NCAA Eligibility Center: Five Things Every High School Athlete Should Know

First things first, here's a couple vocabulary lessons The NCAA Clearinghouse is a not-for-profit...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Aug 18 2022
Every College Tennis Rule That Is Different Than The Pros

Every College Tennis Rule That Is Different Than The Pros

College tennis is a unique and great experience for both athletes as well as fans. For those high...

ByCoby Seaver | Wed Aug 17 2022
How College Athletics Work At A Liberal Arts School

How College Athletics Work At A Liberal Arts School

Athletes have unique abilities that go well beyond the classroom and their respective playing...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Aug 16 2022
Four Ways College Basketball Coaches Will Show Interest In Recruits

Four Ways College Basketball Coaches Will Show Interest In Recruits

Postcards from sunny, resort locations such as the Bahamas or Hawaii. Pictures of the team smiling...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Sun Aug 14 2022
Division-II Sports: How do D2 athletics compare to NCAA Division-I?

Division-II Sports: How do D2 athletics compare to NCAA Division-I?

NCAA Division-II sports are at the intermediate level of competition in the National Collegiate...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Aug 11 2022
Baseball Recruiting: Big Leaguers Who Played Multiple Sports In College

Baseball Recruiting: Big Leaguers Who Played Multiple Sports In College

Throughout the history of America’s Pastime, there have been several notable multisport baseball...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Aug 10 2022
How Lacrosse Has Continued To Grow In Popularity Across America

How Lacrosse Has Continued To Grow In Popularity Across America

Lacrosse is frequently referred to as “the fastest sport on two feet” and its growth over the last...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Aug 03 2022
Name, Image, & Likeness: Duke, Kentucky remain popular destinations for college basketball recruits

Name, Image, & Likeness: Duke, Kentucky remain popular destinations for college basketball recruits

The name, image, and likeness of college athletes has been a topic of discussion for several years,...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Aug 02 2022