How many timeouts are there in college basketball? All you need to know about the NCAA timeout rules

The flow of a college basketball game involves much more than just fast breaks and high-flying dunks. One key facet that many may overlook is the timeout system and how coaches strategically leverage timeouts over the course of a game.

Timeouts in basketball require teams to pause play to huddle, making them a valuable commodity. The ins and outs of college basketball timeout procedures show the calculating mindsets coaches adopt.

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How many timeouts are there in college basketball?

According to the NCAA rules, in regulation, each team initially gets three 30-second timeouts that provide a short break in the game action. Of those three timeouts allotted per team, two can actually be saved by a team to carry over into the second half. This allows coaches some flexibility in preserving timeouts for when they feel it is most advantageous.

On top of those standard 30-second timeouts, teams also receive one longer 60-second timeout that they can utilize whenever they choose over the full 40 minutes of game time.

Additionally, there are scheduled media timeouts that automatically trigger around set minute-marks dependant on the details of media agreements. These usually occur at the first dead ball after the 15, 10 and 5-minute timestamps late in each half.

If there happens to be a timeout called or a replay review within 30 seconds of one of those media timeout triggers, that dead ball then turns into the planned media break instead.

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Timeouts in OT

Overtime in college basketball brings not only added game time pressure, but also shifts in timeout allocation strategy. While the core timing rules remain the same—three 30-second team timeouts and one 60-second timeout per team per regulation game—overtime allows for some replenishment.

When regulation ends, teams carry over any unused timeouts they still have remaining into the first overtime session. However, each team also receives one additional 30-second timeout to begin the first overtime. If the game stretches into double-overtime or beyond, the bonus timeout allotment resets leading into each additional session as well.

This overtime timeout renewal allows coaches to strategize specifically for the free basketball period late in games. Saving a timeout or two at the end of regulation is common practice due to the impending refresh coming in OT. Coaches can then utilize any banked timeouts from regulation in coordination with their new overtime timeout for maximum effect.

In tied games, out-of-timeout plays drawn up in the extra periods are often designed to attempt game-winning shots before time runs out. The late-game timeout management in overtime regularly directly impacts outcomes of college basketball contests that come down to the final possessions.