Unusual Play in NCAA game
 

Washington v. Illinois in the 2d round of the NCAA tournament.

Second made free throw by Illinois player. Ball is put at the disposal of the Washington player behind the endline under the basket in which Illinois has just scored. Official starts counting five seconds. Washington player places the ball on the floor, out of bounds behind the end line, and runs into bounds. Another Washington player comes from in bounds to out of bounds, picks up the ball, and looks to pass it in bounds. Official (who had momentarily suspended his count due to some apparent confusion) continues the count and the Washington player calls time out before inbounding just before a five count.

I've never seen this play before. I could not find it in the rules. Is there a specific rule allowing the player to place the ball on the floor out of bounds? May any player from either team then pick the ball up without liability for being OOB?

You don't need to find a rule that allows it. You need to find a rule that disallows it.

After a made/awarded basket any number of members for the throwing in team can be OOB behind the end line as long as no other throw-in rules are violated.

In this play no other rules were violated.

So the key is that it never crossed the plane into bounds, and no Illinois player could cross the plane to go OOB to touch the ball, so it was safe just sitting there on the floor?

It wasn't *passed* inbounds and 5 seconds didn't elapse. If it rolled inbounds we're OK. (I think...?? Yeah sure, we're OK.)

That's pretty much it.

I saw this play and went back and counted the seconds. They definitely got the timeout before 5 actual seconds. It does look unusual but it is legal. You usually see this with younger age groups. They forget that someone else is supposed to pass it in so they either put the ball on the ground or hand it to someone else.

If this was a spot throw-in then this would be illegal.

What if the player hands the ball to a teammate who is on the court, then comes off the court to in bound. There was never any intention of an actual inbound.

Thats a whistle, correct?

<font color = red> That much is a violation itself</font>, <font color = blue>even without this part.

How about NCAA Rule 7 - Sec 6 - Art 5 (BR-118)
 

Art. 5. The thrower-in shall not leave the designated spot until he/she
has released the ball and the thrown-in ball crosses the plane of the
sideline or endline.

That's the key - this rule is specifying a designated spot throw-in, whereas the play mentioned was an end-line throw-in after a made basket.