Current National Federation (High School) Basketball Rules (2004-2005) will govern 5-on-5 play except for the following modifications.

I. GENERAL ELIGIBILITY

1. Participation is limited to currently enrolled students and members of the faculty and staff of Florida State University. All areas of eligibility are covered in the Intramural By-Laws which are available online and through the Campus Recreation Office.

2. In order to participate in an Intramural contest each player must present their validated FSU Identification Card. Exceptions must be directed to the Intramural Sports Office for consideration by the IM staff during regular university working hours (9:00am- 6:00pm). Bring a photo ID and proof of payment to obtain a wavier from the IM staff. NO such waiver will be granted at the court.

II. TEAM COMPOSITION

1. Players can compete on one men's/women's team, regardless of league classification.

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. All players must present their valid FSUCard at the game site to sign-in to participate.

3. 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.

(Co-Rec) For Co-Rec play, each team will consist of five players: three women and two men. Substitutions are allowed on a man-for-man and woman-for-woman basis only. A team may begin with 4 players: two men and two women. These 2 combinations are the only combinations allowed for playing a co-rec game.

4 . Substitute players reporting into the game should move along the sideline of the court to the scorer's table. 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.

5 . The benches for the players will be on opposite ends of the court. Teams shall warm up and shoot at the end of the court farthest from their own bench for the first half. All spectators must be seated in the bleachers on the endlines.

III. 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 or a reduction of a team's sportsmanship rating.

2. Appropriate gym footwear must be worn. Running shoes or all-purpose cleats are not appropriate for basketball.

3. No participants may wear caps or do-rags while playing.

4. Each team is responsible for supplying their own ball for warm-up. Basketballs are available for check-out from the sign-in attendant in Tully Gym. 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.

(Co-Rec) 5. A women's basketball will be used for co-rec 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. Only medical alert bracelets are permitted. Each team will receive only one warning without penalty. Following the warning, any player from a warned team in the game found to be wearing prohibited equipment (jewelry, etc) will be assessed a technical foul. The opposing team will shoot two free throws and be awarded the ball at midcourt for a throw-in.

IV. GAME TIME & LENGTH

1. Game time is forfeit time. A team needs at least four (4) legal players to begin the game. Any team that forfeits a game will not be eligible for the playoffs. If the forfeiting team wants to play the rest of their regular season games, the team captain or a representative must come into the Intramural Sports Office by 12 noon the next working day to present their case.

2. Games are divided into two halves of 20 minutes each. The time between halves will be left to the discretion of the game officials/supervisors, but not to exceed five minutes. No shot clock will be used.

(35 at 5 Mercy Rule) If a team is leading by 35 points or more at the 5:00 mark of the 2nd half, or a team attains a lead of 35 points or more during the final 5 minutes of the game, the game will end.

3. Intramural basketball games will use "running time" which means the clock will not stop with one exception being "timeouts". The clock continues to run on fouls, violations, free throws, and out-of-bounds situations. After timeouts the clock will start when the ball is touched inbounds, or becomes alive on a free throw attempt (passed to the free throw shooter). The clock will stop and start as in high school basketball the last two minutes of the game (2nd half only). The clock continues to run after a made basket.

(20 at 2 Clock Rule) A running clock will be used during the final 2 minutes of the 2nd half if a team is leading by at least 20 points.

4. Each team receives three (3) timeouts per game. All timeouts are 1 minute in length. Only those players in the game may call atimeout. Substitutes and coaches may not call timeouts.

5. Regular season games can end in a tie.

6. Playoff games that are tied at the end of regulation will proceed to an overtime period.
1. There will be a two-minute overtime with the clock stopping on violations and fouls throughout the overtime period.
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 timeouts and fouls will carry over from the second half and each overtime period. Each team receives an additional timeout for each overtime period.
4. If a second or subsequent overtimes are necessary, the same format will be used until a winner is determined.

V. GENERAL RULES

1. Two point field goals and three point field goals 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 held balls and to begin the 2nd half, teams will alternate possession.

3. No dunking is permitted during pre-game warm-ups, at halftime, after the game, or during any other dead ball period. Dunking is permitted only during live ball game play. Hanging on the rim is prohibited at all times. Violators will be assessed a technical foul and are subject to immediate ejection.

(Co-Rec) 4. Women may only guard women. Men may only guard men. A violation in backcourt results in the offended team retaining possession via a throw-in at the spot nearest the violation. A violation in the frontcourt (offensive end) results in 2 points for the offended team (offense) and possession for the offending team (defense) via a spot throw-in on the baseline.

(Co-Rec) 5. Male players are not allowed in the free throw lane, nor may they break the plane of this area at ANY TIME on EITHER END of the court. This applies to offensive driving, defensive guarding, and rebounding for both field goals and free throws. Players may NOT run out-of-bounds to go around the lane. The only path to the opposite side of the court for a male player is around the top of the key (above free-throw line). A violation of this rule by an offensive player results in a turnover with the defensive team gaining possession via a spot throw-in nearest to where the ball was at the time of the violation. A violation by the defensive team results in 2 points (or 3 points, if the offense is in possession of the ball behind the arc) for the offense and possession for the defense via a spot throw-in nearest to where the ball was at the time of the violation.

VI. VIOLATIONS & THROW-INS

1. Violations include traveling, double dribble, carrying / palming the ball, intentionally kicking the ball with the leg, excessively elbow swinging (without contact), five-second closely guarded count in the frontcourt, 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 the spot nearest to where the violation occurred. Two or three points are also awarded on goaltending depending on the position of the shooter at the time of the shot.

3. After any called time-out, the ball is awarded out of bounds for a throw-in at the spot nearest where the ball was on the court at the time the time-out was called.

4. 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.

VII. 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, holding, illegal blocking, illegal screening, pushing, and charging are examples of personal fouls.
A. Handchecking is not permitted in intramural basketball. The penalty is a personal foul (illegal use of the hands or arms).

2. A player control foul occurs when a personal foul is committed by a player in possession of the ball or while in flight as an airborne shooter. There are no free throws for the offended team following a player control foul. Additionally, no basket will be scored when an airborne shooter is charged with a player control foul.

3. After a non-shooting foul (common foul before the bonus or any player control foul), the ball is awarded out of bounds for a throw-in at the spot nearest where the foul occurred.
A. 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 (after a missed shot), alternating possession will determine the team to throw-in the ball.

4 . Fouls against the shooter will be shot throughout the game. Except in the final two minutes of the 2nd half and any overtime, the clock will not stop during free throw attempts.
A. 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 7th team foul of the half. Team control does not affect the awarding of bonus free throws. No bonus free throws are shot following a player control foul.
A. For 7th, 8th, and 9th team fouls committed in the half, the shooter will shoot the bonus (1-and-1).
B. For team fouls 10 and above, two shots will be awarded to the shooter for any common, non-player control foul.

6. During free throw attempts, a maximum of six (6) players are permitted to line up along the lane for rebounding.
A. The bottom spaces (below the block) will remain vacant at all times.
B. 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.
C. The offense has the option to occupy the next lane space on each side. In the event that the offense does not wish to occupy these lane spaces, the spaces will remain empty. The defense may NOT occupy the second space on either side.
D. The defense has the option to occupy the top lane space (closest to the shooter) on each side. In the event that the defense does not wish to occupy these lane spaces, the spaces will remain empty.
E. Thus, 2-4 members of the defense will line up along the lane while 0-2 members of the shooting team will take a lane space (not including the shooter).
F. No player, the shooter or those players lined up along the lane, may enter the lane until the free throw attempt has hit the rim. The remaining players from both teams not lined up along the lane must remain behind the behind the free throw line extended and the three-point line until the ball hits the rim.
G. The ball becomes live when it is placed at the disposal of the free thrower.

VIII. 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.

2. A technical foul at any time during the game results in two free throws and loss of possession. The opposing team will receive a throw-in at mid-court. Upon the 2nd technical foul charged to an offender, that same person is ejected from the game. If, in any three games, a player receives a technical foul, he/she will be suspended for the rest of the season immediately.
A. Simultaneous technical fouls against opposing players (1 against a player from each team) result in no free throws for either team and a throw-in at midcourt for the team to be awarded the next alternating possession.
B. 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.

3. Any profanity or degrading of the officials will result in a technical foul. Continued verbal harassment will result in a 2nd technical foul and expulsion from the game. Anyone expelled from a game will be expected to leave the gym. 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 flagrant technical foul and expelled from the game.

5. Altercations involving two or more players will result in flagrant technical fouls.
A. The offending players will be expelled from the game.
B. They must meet with the appropriate Intramural staff member before they may participate again.
C. Outright fighting will result in expulsion and suspension from further Intramural participation for one year and charges may be filed with the University Judicial Office and Campus Police.

6. All unsporting and contact technical fouls count toward a player's five fouls for disqualification and toward team fouls in reaching bonus free-throw situations.

7. Ejected players must leave the game site and may not return for the remainder of the night.

IX. 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, FSU 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.

6. Additional information regarding team and participant sportsmanship including the rating method, factors, and scale is available in the Sportsmanship section of the Intramural Sports Handbook, available online at the FSU Campus Recreation web site.

Call the IM Sports Office at 644-2430 or email us for more information.