Men's and Women's Basketball Rules

Minimum players on court/roster: 4
Maximum players on roster: 12
Maximum players on court: 5

Basic Gameplay 

The basic rules are those set forth in the NCAA basketball rule book. 

Adjustments due to the facilities and the times available are these:

• Duration of the game: two 20-minute halves, running time with stopped clock during the last two minutes of the last half on dead balls.
• Half time: Five minutes between halves
• Timeouts: A single one-minute timeout per half  per team(not accumulative). In the overtime period, you are allowed one timeout of 30 seconds (not sudden-death).
• Overtime (regular season and playoffs): first team to five points wins. A coin flip or paper/scissors/rock will determine who gets the first posession.
• Substitutions: Free substitution with no gain of an unfair advantage.
• Jump balls: Handled by alternating possession, to be inbounded at the sideline.

Varsity/JV Athlete Eligibility

No Varsity or JV basketball players may play intramural basketball (even after their season concludes), as explained in the Varsity and JV Athlete Eligibility Rules in the IM Handbook. There shall not be more than two former players on the court at a given time, whether they be Varsity or JV. This includes alumni who play on your team.

With your two former players, you may have:

• Two former Varsity players, or
• Two former JV players, or
• One former Varsity and one former JV player

At all times, there must be a minimum of three non-former players on the court. If your team has more than two former players, they must either rotate so that no more than two are on the court at at time or switch to teams that have less than two former players. 

• If you have any former Varsity Hope players on your team, your team must compete in the more competetive league.
• If you have one only former JV player on your team, you may sign up for less competitive.
• Multiple former JV players still must be in the more competitive league.

If all competitive league captains agree to having three former players on the court at a time, this will be allowed (or able to be a game by game decision). However, teams do reserve the right to say they to not want to play this way, both in the regular season or the playoffs (regardless of whether you've played previously and what the decision was regarding former players then).

Fouls:

There is no foul shooting during the game.

• Personal fouls on the playing court: Six personal fouls result in disqualification. Personal fouls result in the following actions:
  • Against a shooter who:
    • Makes the shot: The basket counts and defense recieves possession under the basket
    • Misses the shot: The shooter gets possession at mid-court
  • Against a non-shooter: The ball is awarded to the offended team at nearest sideline
• During the last two minutes of the last half of regulation time and during the last minute of overtime, all non-shooting fouls will be one-and-one. All fouls called during the last two minutes of play must be approved by the IM worker to apply. All shooting fouls will be handled according to NCAA basketball rules, including:
  • Two-point shot, two automatic free throws (dead ball on the first, live ball on the second)
  • Three-point shot, three automatic free throws (first two are dead ball, live ball on the third)
• Technical foul: Three technical fouls removes a player or coach from the gym. (Automatic two points plus the ball to the offended team at mid-court. Additionally, if a foul is flagrant, the offender(s) will be ejected from the game.

Hard fouls will not be tolerated. The IM workers have been instructed that at any time, they may eject a player for an unnecessarily hard foul. They also reserve the right to give a team a warning if the hard foul is less severe, and any subsequent hard fouls will lead to the ejection of that player. Any further hard fouls within that game will lead to an automatic forfeit of the game, however that determination is made by the IM worker, not the opposing team's captain.

Participation rules

All teams are expected to follow IM participation rules which means that the team must be dressed and ready to play (lineup properly recorded) at game time. All members of your team must show their Hope ID to sign-in.

Running shoes and black soled shoes will not be allowed on the gym floor. You must wear basketball or tennis shoes or you will not be allowed to participate. Socks or bare feet will also not be allowed. To avoid wearing wet shoes on the court, bring a second pair of shoes.

Sportsmanship Rules

Sportsmanship rules will be strictly enforced. Rosters will be checked regularly. Fighting or any other unsportsmanlike action will not be tolerated! Any player, non-player team personnel or spectator under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be asked by a Dow supervisor or the IM supervisor to leave the Dow Center.

Additional players may be added up to game time on the day of your scheduled event by the roster addition form. Email intramurals@hope.edu with questions.

There will be no rescheduling or switching of contests due to a lack of space. You may always add more players to your roster to meet the needs of the existing schedule. We ask for your understanding and cooperation.

One no show will place your team on probation. Once on probation, any additional no shows will remove your team from competition.