What Is The Duration of A NCAA, FIBA, NBA, and High School Basketball Game?
How long is a game of basketball? It really depends on the league and association you play under. To get the most relevant information, you should check out the rulebook for the league or association you’re playing in. In this article, we are going to answer that question for FIBA, NCAA, NBA, and High School basketball. We’ll also cover the shot clock and timeouts since these are important in basketball.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a player or just a fan, understanding the rules and nuances of the game will allow you to enjoy basketball. There are several easy ways to learn everything about the game, which could be important if you are starting a new career as a basketball referee.
How Long Are NBA Games?
NBA games are divided into four periods with each period lasting 12 minutes. In addition to that, NBA rules allow for 5-minute overtime periods. In total, an NBA game lasts 48 game minutes, with a 15-minute halftime. Then of course any overtime periods that are required to break a tie.
To help you compare different international, professional, and collegiate basketball rules we created the table below.
| Rule | FIBA | NBA | NCAA |
| Playing time | 4 quarters x 10 minutes, 5 minutes overtime | 4 quarters x 12 minutes, 5 minutes overtime | 2 halves x 20 minutes, 5 minutes overtime for men 4 quarters x 10 minutes, 5 minutes overtime for women |
| Shot clock | 24 seconds, or 14 seconds after the offensive rebound | 24 seconds | 30 seconds for men and women |
| Half time | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | 15 minutes |
NBA games last longer than others because there are frequent clock stoppages and TV timeouts. The average NBA game lasts two and a half hours.
What Was The Longest NBA Game?
Have you ever wondered what the longest NBA game was? It took place on January 6, 1951, between Indianapolis Olympians and Rochester Royals at Edgerton Park Arena in Rochester, New York.
It was a six-overtime game that the Olympians won 75 to 73. The length of the match was 78 game minutes and has been included in the Guinness World Records.
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What About College And High-School Basketball Games?
The NCAA regulates college basketball and men’s games consist of two 20-minute halves, with 15-minute halftime in between. Women’s games consist of four 10-minute quarters, with 15-minute halftime in between.
High school basketball games are regulated by the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations). A high school game has 4 quarters that last 8 minutes each with a 10-minute halftime.
How Long Is A Basketball Quarter?
The duration of a basketball quarter depends on the league. I’ve looked at quarter durations earlier in the article, and we go more in-depth in this article.
- FIBA games: 10 minutes, with a 15-minute halftime.
- NBA games: 12 minutes, with a 15-minute halftime.
- NCAA Men’s college games: Two halves of 20 minutes, with a 15-minute halftime.
- NCAA Women’s college games: 10 minutes, with a 15-minute halftime.
- NFHS high school games: 8 minutes, with a 10-minute halftime.
What Is The Shot Clock?
In basketball, the shot clock indicates how much time the team has to take a shot after gaining control of the ball.
The shot clock starts as soon as you gain possession. Once a shot is taken, the shot clock will reset as long as it hits the rim of the basket. If the shot clock expires before the offensive team attempts a goal, the ball automatically goes to the opposing team.
Shot clock duration varies depending on leagues. In addition, the rules
- FIBA games: 24 seconds initially and resets to 14 seconds after an offensive rebound.
- NBA games: 24 seconds.
- NCAA college games: 30 seconds initially and resets to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound.
- NFHS high school games: Shot clocks are slowly making it into High School basketball but check with you state association for your specific rules.
Conclusion On Length Of A Basketball Game
We hope we have helped you answer the question “How Long Is A Basketball Game?”. Again, it can differ based on the league you are watching. If you are planning to see a game, you can still see a high school game in a little over an hour. But, if you are going to a high-level college or professional game you will have to budget 2 hours or more due to all the stoppages and especially the TV timeouts (yes it is annoying).
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