You’re having a good college basketball game, and suddenly, you feel a short-term urgency. You don’t want to miss the exciting moments of the game.
Hold on; there is halftime in the game, and you can meet your urgency quickly.
You may not need to know how tall a basketball hoop is, but you can learn from this article how long it takes you to complete your task between college basketball games.
Generally, halftime lasts 15 minutes in a college basketball game, but it may vary in different scenarios.
Then what to know about in a college basketball game halftime? Let’s find out.
How Long is a Halftime?
The rules of basketball games vary, and they change slightly from level to level. Generally, there are four quarters in an NBA game, each lasting 12 minutes.
However, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) divides the college basketball game into two halves.
You may be thinking now, how long is a half? Well, each half is played for 20 minutes in a college basketball game. So, the total 40 minutes of the game is.
But don’t expect to leave the game after 40 minutes. You’ll get a 15-minute break between the two halves.
Now, you can go to your nearby grocery shop to buy popcorn or go to the washroom to enjoy the next half-game with pleasure and without interruption.
Generally, the full match takes around 2 hours to complete. However, interruptions and fouls in the game always extend the time period.
How Long is a Women’s Basketball Game?
The women’s basketball game isn’t different. There are breaks, halves, and quarters. In 2015, new regulations were imposed on the game.
According to the new rules, four quarters will be played. Each quarter will last 10 minutes, for a total of 40 minutes.
Are you astonished now about where the break time is? Take a break. In the women’s basketball game, the break time is 15 minutes after the second quarter.
So, between the second and third quarters, you’ll expect a 15-minute break from the women’s basketball game.
Halftime Show
Halftime isn’t only to meet your urgency; halftime is for all. For players, spectators, coaches, and commentators.
If you stick to halftime entertainment, you’ll get to watch some entertainment shows like cheerleading squad, fan competitions, or dance performances. Spectators love to enjoy these shows during halftime.
When spectators are busy enjoying the halftime shows, the players sit in their lockers or dressing rooms. Either they are taking some rest or planning strategies to snatch the match from the opponent.
The coaches are helping them understand the strategies carefully. This time, a new formation and substitution are taking place. Some players change their shoes or bind their shoelaces differently from superstitions.
Commentators become busy analyzing the game. What players miss, what was the top moment of the game, and how the game can be more interesting in second halves are talking about this time.
Sometimes, they discuss upcoming matches, their formation, or any new news that fans eagerly await.
If the match is telecast on TV, commercial breaks also occur on the screen. Sometimes, due to the commercial break, the halftime breaks extend from 15 minutes to 17 minutes.
Restarting Play
After the break, the game is restarted. There are some rules you need to know. In the college game, the possession arrow determines which team will start with the ball in the second half.
The team that loses the tip-off possession arrow is directed towards them. Instead of having a jump ball in every handball, college referees award possession based on the possession arrow.
How College Basketball Games Are Different From NBA Games
The college basketball game rules and National Basketball Association (NBA) games do not differ significantly. There is a slight difference in the playtime.
NBA games are played in four quarters, each lasting 12 minutes and 48 minutes.
In contrast, the college basketball game is played in two halves, each lasting 20 minutes and 40 minutes.
College basketball’s final gameplay time is 8 minutes less than that of NBA games. With 15 minutes of halftime in both formats, college basketball ends in 2 hours.
But NBA games take 2.5 hours to complete the full match. This timing differs due to more fouls, restrictions, rules, and commercial breaks.
In the NBA game, the initial tip-off determines which team will start each quarter with the ball. The team that wins the initial jump ball will receive the ball at the start of the fourth quarter.
The opponent team will start with the ball in the second and third quarters. But in college basketball games, possession arrows direct which team starts with the ball in each half. College referees award possession based on the possession arrow.
Final Thoughts
In the college basketball game, you’ll enjoy more passion and energy from the players to glorify themselves with the win.
To enjoy those passionate moments uninterruptedly, you are always welcome to take a break during halftime.
However, the shows and discussions during halftime will also hold your attention.
