When did women's college basketball switch to quarters? Taking a deep dive into NCAA rule book

Women's college basketball games consist of four quarters of 10 minutes each. Before 2015, the women's side of the game played two halves of 20 minutes like the men's game at the collegiate level. The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the measure on the recommendation of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee.

The idea behind the measure was to enhance the flow of the game and make it more exciting for the fans. The move to quarters enhanced the pace of play, making games faster and making a more dynamic and engaging format for the viewer.

When did women's college basketball switch to quarters?

Women's college basketball changed to a format of four quarters in 2015 when the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the change to the rules. The change of format allowed the NCAA women's basketball to align with the top professional organizations of the sport for female athletes: the WNBA and FIBA.

The rule change also impacted team fouls, which are reset at the start of each quarter in the new format. This, in turn, changes the dynamics of bonus and free throws. Now, there is also only one media timeout per quarter, instead of four spread through each half

The NCAA's long-running experience to enhance fan experience

This measure was part of a long-running effort by the ruling body to improve the experience of fans. Fan experience is at the core of sporting events nowadays, and the concept includes the potentially millions of people watching from their homes.

In another effort to improve the viewing experience in-venue and through broadcasts, the NCAA also allowed music to be played in any dead-ball situation from 2015 onwards. Previously bands and amplified music could only be played during timeouts and intermissions.