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As was apparent in Saturday’s preseason exhibition game at The Pit, college basketball teams will have to adjust to some new rule changes implemented by the NCAA.
UNM and Eastern New Mexico combined for 49 total fouls in their exhibition, an 87-68 victory for the Lobos. Only one player, ENMU’s Phil Henry, fouled out, but three Greyhounds racked up four fouls and 12 different Lobos had at least one.
Some of that could be attributed to the fact that both teams played their first competition against a squad in a different jersey for the first time in 2013-14. A lot of it, New Mexico head coach Craig Neal said, had to do with the changes.
In June the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved a rule that a “defensive player is not permitted to move into the path of an offensive player once he has started his upward motion with the ball to attempt a field goal or pass.” Otherwise, a blocking foul will be called.
“Previously, a defender had to be in a legal guarding position when the offensive player lifted off the floor,” according to the release.
The rule is designed to “allow for more offensive freedom,” making it easier for officials to make an already difficult call, and strike a balance between offense and defense, the release states. Some expect the game will open up and allow for higher-scoring affairs.
In the exhibition UNM sank 31 of its 43 attempts from the foul line, most of them taking place in the second half. Over the latter 20 minutes the Lobos were 18 of 27. ENMU tried 21 free-throw attempts, draining 12 of them.
If more fouls come as a result, that slows down the pace.
“That’s the rules. It could get worse,” Neal said. “That’s what I’m worried about with foul trouble and I’ve been telling our guys that for three weeks.”
Point guard Hugh Greenwood, who relies heavily on his physical play on the defensive end, said he learned a lot Saturday about how he must tweak his game moving forward. He said he struggled keeping offensive players in front of him and he acknowledged he has to change his game.
“They’re taking my game away, to be honest,” he said. “I really struggled tonight just guarding. I relied on my physicality all my career, and for the NCAA to change the rules like they have, it’s going to be difficult. But that’s what it’s about — it’s about adjusting.”
All 14 Lobos on the roster saw action in the exhibition, and 13 hit the scoring column. Center Alex Kirk led the way with a double-double, scoring 17 points and 16 rebounds. Guard Kendall Williams and forward Cameron Bairstow added 14 points apiece, while guards Cullen Neal and Cleveland “Pancake” Thomas added 10 apiece.
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Guards Kyle Lantz and Rodney Blackmon paced ENMU, each scoring 16 points. Guard Devone Davis chipped in 15 points, followed by Rafael Love with 11.
As a team, UNM finished 47.2 percent from the field (25 of 53) and 31.6 percent from 3-point range (6 of 19). The Lobos contained ENMU to 36.5 percent from the field (23 of 63) and 35.7 percent from the beyond the arc (10 of 28).
UNM held a 41-32 at halftime and led by as many as 19 points late in the second half.
“To get out there and be in the atmosphere with the crowd and be with our teammates, it’s really good,” Kirk said. “I think we learned about ourselves tonight, but there was a ton of improvement.”
