'Nova, Big East adjusting to changes in rules
NEW YORK - When competition begins this season in the Big East and throughout college basketball, fans are going to have to start getting adjusted to more than 30 rules changes.
NEW YORK - When competition begins this season in the Big East and throughout college basketball, fans are going to have to start getting adjusted to more than 30 rules changes.
The most familiar of the changes are the reduction in the shot clock from 35 to 30 seconds, the fact that there will be no reset of the 10-second clock after a timeout, and the block/charge arc under the basket has been increased to a radius of four feet from three.
Villa coach Jay Wright favors the 30-second shot clock, and he also likes a rule that requires a timeout be called by a player on the floor. Coaches will no longer be allowed to call time.
But he doesn't like the fact that while hand-checking will no longer be permitted on the perimeter, a post defender is allowed to use an arm bar against the player he's guarding until the offensive player makes a move to the basket.
"It's going to be difficult to teach, and really difficult to officiate," Wright said. "They talked so much about having freedom of movement on offense but then they bring in the arm bar. It's counterintuitive. At what point do you leave it on and it's a foul?
Dunn's deal
Wright likes Providence guard Kris Dunn, and not only because he brings multidimensional talents - scoring, rebounding, passing and defense - to the court.
"I don't know him that well but his humility with which he's approached his career is very impressive to me," Wright said of Dunn, the preseason Big East player of the year. "I know NBA guys are drooling over that. He had a great year last year and I think he maturely decided to stay."
Dunn, a 6-foot-4 junior, led the Big East last season in assists (7.5 per game) and steals (2.7). He shared conference player of the year honors last season with Villanova's Ryan Arcidiacono.
Back with Hoyas
Georgetown guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera announced after the 2014-15 season that he was going to make himself available for the NBA draft. About a week later, he quietly asked officials to remove his name from the underclassman list of NBA draftees, and decided to come back to the Hoyas.
"Getting my degree means a lot to my family and my parents, because my parents didn't get a chance to experience college," said the 6-3 senior, who was named to the all-Big East preseason first team. "That's the big thing for me, to get your education and appreciate the opportunity that you have."
