How Long Is A College Basketball Game?

It is no more news that the game of basketball is exciting and full of action, to say the least, and this is regardless of the level at which it is played. 

College basketball has come to stay and offers younger folks the opportunity to play the game at a standard that would suit them. College basketball also has its share of fans and this is a good one for the popularity of the sport.

The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) is the body that is responsible for organizing basketball tournaments where young players can compete. 

However, the answer to the question of how long is a college basketball game depends on the difficulty of the game in question.

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How Long Are College Basketball Games?

The total playing time for a college basketball game is approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, here are some things to note regarding college basketball. A college basketball game is divided into two halves, each of which lasts 20 minutes. 

During NCAA games, the half-time interval is 15 minutes long. The time limit for college basketball overtime is five minutes. 

How Long Is A College Basketball Game on TV?

I guess that a significant number of basketball fans get to watch these games on TV as every fan of the game may not have the opportunity to watch these games live. 

However, based on TV viewership, many NCAA games are scheduled to last 2 hours and 10 minutes. 

This comprises 40 minutes for action, two 30-second timeouts for each team, and three overall timeouts with that total. This should take a total of 48 minutes. 

Regardless, one exciting fact is that college games are typically 8 minutes shorter in duration than an NBA game. Despite this, the average real-time NCAA match lasts less than a few minutes on most occasions. 

Experts have revealed that the number of timeouts and the frequency with which teams take free throws during and after college basketball games are the two most significant contributors to the length of a college basketball game on TV.

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Meanwhile, fans of the sport should note that there are no quarters in Men’s college basketball games. 

Therefore, fouls will last for an inning, and there will be little reset time. When a player commits several fouls in one game, the game will last longer and will be longer overall. 

During the action, each men’s college basketball team will have four timeouts available to them. Three of these timeouts will last for 30 seconds, and only one timeout lasts for an entire minute. 

The second half stipulates that each team is only allowed to stop the game three times in total.  

Along with timeouts and halftime breaks, four sets of TV waiting times are scheduled for each round and are applicable in the 16, 12, 8, and 4 of each game

The Longest NCAA Basketball Games Ever

Away from how long do college basketball games last for a while. Let’s take a look at the longest NCAA games of all time.

BRADLEY VS. CINCINNATI (1981) 

This game took place on December 21, 1981, and is the longest NCAA game in history. During the game, none of the teams could take the lead after six innings, 

However, Cincinnati eventually went ahead in the 7th extra time. The game’s duration was 4 hours and the result was 75-73. The result is a pointer to how competitive the game was.

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CONNECTICUT VS SYRACUSE (2009) 

This was a meeting between both sides in the quarterfinals of the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament. 

The game lasted till the 6th overtime and was decided by a single point. Syracuse emerged victoriously with a score of 127 to 117 in a game that lasted for 3 hours and 46 minutes.

How Long Is A High School Basketball Game?

High school basketball games are divided into four quarters, according to National Federation of High Schools regulations. A 10-minute break will be taken in between each round, which will total 8 minutes in duration total. 

Many high school games do not use shot clocks. However, the running clock rule ensures that the game clock is turned to a running clock if a team is in the lead by a specified number of points in the second half but is only applicable in some states.

A junior high basketball game lasts for 1 hour and 30 minutes. These matches are also divided into four quarters, with each quarter lasting six minutes. According to some jurisdictions, the time allotted for each quarter can be up to 8 minutes. 

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For junior high basketball games, the halftime break lasts for 10 minutes and there is no shot clock in most cases. If the allotted time expires and the two teams are still tied, an additional five minutes will be added to the game. 

How Long Is A Youth Basketball Game? 

The duration of a youth basketball game is approximately one hour and comprises two halves that last for 20 minutes respectively. 

It should also be known that a running clock is used in youth basketball games and this clock does not stop unless there is a timeout or halftime break.

The time between each set is approximately 10 minutes. In addition, if a team requests a timeout, the match will be extended by 4 minutes to compensate. 

Since the primary audience is mostly children, there must be time for them to settle down and maintain their positions. As youth basketball games do not normally include overtime, the game can end in a tie in some instances.