College basketball fouling rules: How many fouls lead to disqualification?

Basketball is a game of skill, speed and physicality. But sometimes, the physicality can cross the line and result in fouls, which are violations of the rules that can have a major impact on the game.

In college basketball, you only get five chances to mess up before you’re out of the game. That’s one less than in the NBA, where you can stay on the court until you hit six fouls. That's why college basketball athletes need to be extra careful not to get too physical or sloppy out there.

But not all fouls are created equal. Some of them can get you in more trouble than others. Here are some of the common ones and how they can lead to a quick exit.

Personal fouls in collge basketball

When a player makes contact with an opponent that is not allowed by the rules, it’s called a personal foul. It can happen on offense or defense, depending on who starts or causes the contact. For example, pushing, holding, tripping and hitting are all personal fouls.

Each player can only commit five personal fouls before they have to leave the game. This is known as fouling out. Technical fouls also count toward this limit, unless they are for things like wearing the wrong jersey or delaying the game. A player can also foul out if they get two technical fouls or one flagrant foul in a game. These are more serious fouls that involve unsportsmanlike conduct or excessive contact.

Technical fouls

When someone on the court or on the bench acts out of line, like arguing with the refs, trash-talking too much, or breaking the rules. Techs can be called on anyone, from players to coaches, and they can cost the teams big time.

If a player gets two techs in one game, they are out and the other team gets one free throw and the ball. Any player on the floor can take that freebie, better hope it’s not Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant. Techs can make or break a game.

Flagrant fouls

Flagrant fouls are some of the most dangerous and controversial plays in basketball. It's when a player hits another player so hard that it could cause serious injury, even if they didn’t mean to.

There are two levels of flagrant fouls: flagrant 1 and flagrant 2. If a player commits a flagrant 1 foul, the player who was fouled gets to shoot two free throws, and then their team gets the ball back. But if a player commits a flagrant 2 foul, that’s a whole different story, they get ejected from the game. That means they did something brutal, harsh or cruel or dangerous or punishing, according to the NCAA rules committee.

No basketball player wants to foul out. It’s a nightmare scenario that takes them out of the game and hurts their team’s chances of winning. It can also damage their reputation and future opportunities.