Basketball Rules

This is the 5v5 Basketball Handbook (View bottom of page for 3v3 modifications). 

General Eligibility

  1. Participation is limited to currently-enrolled, fee-paying Tulane students, faculty members, and full-time staff, as well as fee-paying alumni.
  2. In order to participate in an intramural contest, each player must present his/her current valid Splash Card. Check-in will take place at the scorer’s table on the appropriate court. The use of another student’s splash card will result in an automatic forfeit, loss of deposit, and the player’s ejection and suspension.

Team Composition

  1. Players can compete on as many teams as there are leagues, but no more than one team within the same league.
  2. Each team consists of five (5) players, one of whom is captain. Only the captain may address an official on matters of interpretation or to obtain essential information if it is done in a courteous manner.
  3. (Mixed-Rec) For Mixed-Rec play, each team will consist of five players with a maximum of three male-identifying on the court.
  4. Four (4) players must be present for a game to begin. Players who arrive late may be added to the roster and may enter the game during a dead-ball period.
  5. Substitutions are not to be made until acknowledged by one of the officials during a dead ball. Subs must wait by the scorer’s table until summoned to come on the floor. Failure to follow this procedure will result in a technical foul assessed to the team.

Equipment

  1. All players must wear similar colored numbered jerseys or numbered pinnies. Pinnies are available at the court for each team. Inappropriate removal of player jerseys during a game can result in a technical foul and a reduction of a team’s sportsmanship rating.
  2. Appropriate gym footwear must be worn. Sandals, cleats, and boat shoes are not appropriate for basketball.
  3. No participants may wear caps, bandanas, knots, or other headwear while playing.
  4. Each team is responsible for supplying their own ball for warm-up. Basketballs are available for check-out from the front desk of Reily with a valid Splash card. The game ball will be chosen from the warm-up balls. The referee shall be the sole judge of the legality of the ball and shall select the best ball available.
  5. A regulation men's ball will be used for open league play. A women’s basketball will be used for mixed-rec and women's league play unless both captains agree prior to the start of the game that a men’s size basketball be used. The same size basketball will be used throughout the game (no changes will be permitted during the game).
  6. Jewelry, casts, or any items deemed dangerous by the official MAY NOT BE WORN during the game. This jewelry consists of any visible rings (including wedding bands), watches, necklaces, earrings, studs, bracelets, and any other such similar jewelry. Medical alert bracelets must be taped to the body or secured under clothing such as a wristband or sock to be worn during play.

Forfeiture

  1. Game time is forfeit time if no members from team are present

  2. 10-Minute Rule

    1. If at least 1 team member is signed in at game time, but the minimum requirement of 4 is not met, the team will have up to 10 minutes after the scheduled game time to reach at least 4 players.

    2. For each minute a team has not reached the minimum, a point will be given towards the opponent.

    3. For each minute a team has not reached the minimum, a minute will be removed from the game time.

    4. For example, if a team reaches the minimum requirement at 7:05 and the scheduled game time is 7:00, the game will start with a score of 5-0 and the first quarter will be 5:00 minutes in length.

Game Time & Length

  1. Games are divided into four quarters of 10 minutes each. No shot clock will be used.
  2. Mercy Rule: If a team is leading by 30 points or more at any point in the second half, the game will end. If a team is leading by 15 points or more, the clock shall not be stopped in the last minute of the second half.
  3. Intramural basketball games use a running clock, which means the clock will not stop during play except for timeouts. The clock continues to run on fouls, violations, free throws, and out-of-bounds situations. After a timeout, the clock will start when the ball is touched inbounds, or becomes live on a free throw attempt (passed to the free throw shooter). The clock will stop and start as in NFHS rules during the last minute of each half. The clock continues to run after a made basket.
  4. Overtime procedures:
    1. There will be a three-minute overtime period. The clock will run for the first two minutes and stop for only the final minute.
    2. A jump ball at center court will be used to start each overtime period. Teams will continue to shoot at the same basket as in the second half.
    3. All fouls will carry over from the fourth quarter and each overtime period. Each team receives an additional timeout for each overtime period.
    4. Regular season games will be limited to one overtime. Playoff games will play as many periods as is necessary to determine a winner.

General Rules

  1. Two point field goals and three point field goals will be used. The three point line that measures 19 feet and 9 inches (the shortest line) will be used.
  2. A jump ball will occur only at the beginning of the game and any overtime periods. The team not gaining possession on the initial jump ball will be awarded the ball when the next held ball situation arises. Thereafter on jump balls and to begin the 2nd half, teams will alternate possession.
  3. Dunking is prohibited at all times in all leagues
    1. Any shot in which the shooter touches the rim with his/her hand or arm shall constitute a dunk attempt. For any dunk attempt, the violator shall be charged with an administrative technical foul. Points for a successful dunk will be scored. (b) Grasping of the rim by a player of either team shall also result in an administrative technical foul assessed to the violating player.

Violations & Thow-ins

  1. Violations include traveling, double dribble, carrying / palming the ball, intentionally kicking the ball with the leg, excessive elbow swinging (without contact), ten seconds in the backcourt, three seconds in the lane, basket interference, and goaltending.
  2. After any violation, the ball is awarded out of bounds for a throw-in at one of the four designated spots nearest to where the violation occurred if in the front court or the nearest spot in the backcourt. Two or three points are also awarded on goaltending depending on the position of the shooter at the time of the shot.
  3. The throw-in count ends when the ball is released by the thrower. It is a violation if the thrower does not release the ball within 5 seconds.
  4. The defense must give the inbounding player three feet of distance from the out-of-bounds line.

Timeouts

  1. Each team receives three timeouts for the game. All timeouts are 1 minute in length. Only those players or a designated coach in the game may call a timeout. Substitutes may not call timeouts.
  2. Time outs must be called by an offensive player on the court or during a dead ball.
  3. The ball will be thrown in at the nearest designated throw-in spot.

Common Fouls & Penalties

  1. A personal foul is a player foul which involves illegal contact with an opponent while the ball is live, which hinders the opponent from performing normal offensive or defensive movements. A personal foul also includes contact by or on an airborne shooter when the ball is dead. Illegal use of the hands (hand checking), holding, illegal blocking, illegal screening, pushing, and charging are examples of personal fouls.
  2. An offensive foul occurs when a personal foul is committed by a player whose team is in possession of the ball or while in flight as an airborne shooter. There are no free throws for the offended team following an offensive foul. Additionally, no basket will be scored when an airborne shooter is charged with an offensive foul or if the foul occurs prior to the ball leaving the shooter’s hands.
  3. 3. After a non-shooting foul, the ball is awarded out of bounds for a throw-in at the nearest designated throw-in spot where the foul occurred.
    1. Simultaneous personal fouls, double fouls, and double technical fouls against opposing players (1 against a player from each team) result in no free throws for either team and a spot throw-in for the team in possession at the time of the fouls. If neither team is in possession, the possession arrow will determine the team to throw-in the ball.
  4. Fouls against the shooter will be shot throughout the game. Except in the final minute of each half and any overtime, the clock will not stop during free throw attempts.
    1.  An airborne shooter who is fouled by an opponent while in the air, but after the ball is released on a try, is considered to be in the act of shooting until both of the airborne shooter’s feet return to the floor.
  5. Bonus free throws are awarded to the offended team following common non-shooting personal fouls on and after the 5th team foul of the quarter. No bonus free throws are shot following an offensive foul.
  6. During free throw attempts, a maximum of six (6) players are permitted to line up along the lane for rebounding.
    1.  A maximum of four (4) defensive players and two (2) offensive players.
    2. The bottom spaces (below the block) will remain vacant at all times.
    3. The defense must occupy the first space on each side above the block. Players may NOT position themselves on the block separating the lane spaces.
    4. The offense has the option to occupy the next lane space on each side.
    5. The defense has the option to occupy the top lane space (closest to the shooter) on each side.
    6. Players shall be permitted to move along and across the lane to occupy a vacant marked lane space within the limitations listed in this rule.
    7. A player, other than the free throw shooter, who does not occupy a marked lane space, may not have either foot beyond the vertical plane of the free throw line extended and the three-point line which is farther from the basket until the ball touches the ring or backboard or until the free throw ends.
    8. A player occupying a marked lane space may not break the vertical plane of the outside edge of any lane boundary until the ball is released.
    9. The ball becomes live when it has been touched or thrown in after the shot.

Intentional, Flagrant, & Unsportsmanlike Fouls

  1. An intentional foul at any time during the game results in two free throws and possession of the ball out-of-bounds at the spot nearest to where the foul occurred. Two free throws are awarded regardless of if a basket is scored on the play. The clock will be stopped for all intentional fouls.
    1. Intentional fouls are charged as sportsmanship technical fouls to the committing player.
  2. A technical foul at any time during the game results in two free throws and loss of possession. The opposing team will receive the subsequent throw-in at mid-court. Upon the 2nd technical foul charged to an offender, that same person is ejected from the game. If one team receives 4 unsporting technical fouls in a game, the game will be ended and declared a forfeit. This will be marked as a loss for the offending team.
    1. Simultaneous technical fouls against opposing players (1 against a player from each team for the same incident) result in no free throws and resumption of play from the point of interruption.
    2. Unrelated technical fouls against opposing teams (1 against a player from each team not in the same incident) result in penalties assessed in order of occurrence with free throws shot for each foul. Throw in will be awarded to the next alternating possession.
  3. Any profanity or degrading of the officials will result in a sportsmanship technical foul. Continued verbal harassment will result in a 2nd technical foul and expulsion from the game. Anyone expelled from a game must leave the facility. Failure to comply results in forfeiture of the game.
  4. Anyone who directs any form of verbal threat at either IM personnel or other participants will be charged with a sportsmanship technical foul and ejected from the game.
  5. Altercations involving two or more players will result in sportsmanship technical fouls. Fighting will result in immediate ejection and possible referral to campus authorities.
  6. All sportsmanship technical fouls count toward a player’s five fouls for disqualification and toward team fouls in reaching bonus free-throw situations.
  7. If a shooting foul and technical foul happen simultaneously, the enforcement will proceed: shooting foul free throws -> technical foul free throws -> possession at mid-court.
    1. All free throws will be shot with a clear lane and all other players except the shooter behind the half court line.
    2. The technical foul shots will be shot last and that team will be awarded possession.

Sportsmanship

  1. The mission of Intramural Sports is to provide a recreational environment for the University community which is safe and enjoyable. While the game atmosphere is often competitive, ensuring participant safety, providing a fun, social atmosphere, and promoting sportsmanlike behavior among participants, spectators, and team followers are our primary concerns. The game atmosphere should remain good-natured at all times. Participants shall maintain good sportsmanship throughout their participation in all facets of the intramural program.
  2. The Sportsmanship Rating System is intended to be an objective scale by which teams’ attitude and behavior can be assessed throughout the intramural sports league and playoff seasons. Behavior before, during, and after an intramural sports contest is included in the rating. The team captain is responsible for educating and informing all players and spectators affiliated with his/her team about the system.
  3. A team is responsible for the actions of the individual team members and spectators related to it. Additionally, Tulane Intramural Sports does not recognize the use of coaches. Only the team captain shall speak to the officials regarding administrative matters (protests, ejections, disqualifications, etc.). Furthermore, the team captain’s efforts in assisting officials/staff to calm difficult situations and to restrain troubled teammates are key to controlling team conduct.
  4. Sportsmanship is vital to the conduct of every Intramural contest. In order to encourage proper conduct during games, officials, administrative personnel, and supervisors shall make decisions on whether to warn, penalize or eject players or teams for poor sportsmanship. These decisions are final. The Intramural Sports administrative staff will rule on further penalties as a result of unsportsmanlike conduct.
  5. Each participant should choose his or her team members carefully, as all team members will suffer the consequences of any disciplinary action taken by the Intramural Sports staff against that team for violation of the intramural rules and sportsmanship guidelines. Protests or appeals of sportsmanship ratings will not be recognized. The Intramural Sports administrative staff reserves the right to review any rating given to a team.

3v3 Basketball Rules/Modifications

  1. Games shall be played on half court.
  2. All games will be played to 25 points in up to two 15-minute halves (running clock). Teams must win by two points.
  3. One point will be scored for each basket made from inside the three-point arc. Made shots from behind the three-point arc count as two points.
  4. If the game is tied at the end of the second half, the winner will be the first team ahead by two points or the team leading after five further minutes are played (if still tied, next basket wins).
  5. The team scoring a basket retains possession of the ball. ("Make it - Take it")
  6. After each made basket or change of possession, the ball must be taken back behind the “three-point line” before a shot can be attempted. If a team scores a basket without taking the ball back, the basket will be disallowed but the offending team will retain possession.
  7. After a stoppage in play, the offense must "check" the ball before play resumes and the ball must be passed to start play.
  8. Fouls and violations are called akin to the 5v5 version of the game. For the first 6 team fouls, the penalty is either a new possession to the fouled team (common, non-shooting fouls) or free throw(s) and possession (shooting fouls). For the 7th team foul and beyond, the penalty is a free throw and possession to the fouled team.
  9. All held-balls are awarded to the defense.
  10. Substitutions may be made at any time that play is stopped.
  11. Mixed-Rec play: Teams may have no more than 2 male-identifying players on the floor at any given time.