In its essence, college basketball is very much the same sport as the professional game, so college ball naturally shares many rules with the NBA. But there are some differences both on and off the court as well, all of which are set forth by the NCAA -- the governing body that oversees most of college basketball.
Court and Equipment
Under NCAA rules, all courts must measure 94 feet in length and 50 feet in width, measured from the inside edges of the boundary lines. The baskets, also known as hoops or goals, must sit 10 feet above the playing floor and be attached to a backboard measuring 6 feet horizontally and 3.5 or 4 feet vertically. Though there may be logos on the court itself, none may obscure the center-court region or prove distracting for players or officials. In men's basketball, the 3-point line is located 20 feet, 9 inches from the basket, and for women, it's 19 feet, 9 inches.
Eligibility
NCAA basketball has eligibility requirements related to academics and amateurism. The NCAA requires incoming athletes to meet certain academic qualifications in order to play. There's no one exact requirement, however; the NCAA operates using a sliding scale. The higher a player's high school grades, the lower a standardized test score he may have -- and vice versa. Additionally, players who are found to have been paid to play are considered to have violated the association's amateurism rules. There's a variety of repercussions, ranging from being suspended for a few games to being ruled ineligible to participate in NCAA basketball.
Scoring and Time
Each game consists of two 20-minute halves. If the score is tied at the end of the second half, five-minute overtime periods are played until someone wins. On each possession, a teams has 35 seconds to shoot the ball. If a team doesn't shoot the ball before the shot clock expires or fails to take a shot that touches the rim, the ball is turned over to the opponent.
Other In-Game Rules
Players are allowed four fouls apiece; once a player has been called for five fouls, he's disqualified from the game. After a team has committed seven fouls in one half, the other team is in the "one-and-one." This means that, on subsequent nonshooting fouls, a player is sent to the free-throw line for a shot, and if he makes it, he receives a second shot. After a team reaches 10 fouls in a half, the other team shoots two free throws every time. Players fouled in the act of shooting always receive two free throws.
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