PTS NCAA's

SAK

I have noticed, after watching several NCAA tournament games (ok, so many games) that the officials seem to not be using the Precision Timing Devices (PTD or PTS). Is there a reason for that?

Nevadaref

Yep. BktBallRef posted on this topic several times now.

The system is not used because it is not available at all venues and the committee wants all games to be played under similar conditions.

SAK

How hard would it be to have the devices at all the games. I would think not too hard as these are major universities hosting the tournament. I would think that the officials have been using the devices all year, this may be the only games that they have not been used for some of the officials.

BktBallRef

It goes deeper than that. Forever reason, the NCAA has chosen not to use it. If they can purchase floors and ship them to each Regional site, then they can certainly spend $50000 to have PTS at each site. For whatever reason, they chosen not to use. They haven't used it in years.

tomegun

I have noticed some of the crews used mechanics similar to the NBA. The lead is counting, but not chopping the clock and the Trail is chopping the clock.

Also, I would be surprised if these officials used PTS in all their games this season no matter how "big time" they are.

Mark Padgett

I don't know about PTS, but it seems that all the coaches at all the sites have PMS. 😮

SAK

The coaches always seem to have PMS

BillyMac

SAK wrote
The coaches always seem to have PMS

Even the male coaches?

mick

BktBallRef wrote
It goes deeper than that. Forever reason, the NCAA has chosen not to use it. If they can purchase floors and ship them to each Regional site, then they can certainly spend $50000 to have PTS at each site. For whatever reason, they chosen not to use. They haven't used it in years.

Floors from the Upper Peninsula ?
Connor Sports Flooring, a company that uses harvested maple from Michigan's Upper Peninsula or northern Wisconsin, does that.

tjones1

I spoke to Mike about this issue two years ago.

This was when there were several timing issues during the previous tournament and then a few occurred that year too. He felt that they would finally come around and so did I.

GoodwillRef

I think the NCAA has some issues with PTS...it seems to work fine all game until the last minute or so then there are problems.

BktBallRef

tjones1 wrote
I spoke to Mike about this issue two years ago.

This was when there were several timing issues during the previous tournament and then a few occurred that year too. He felt that they would finally come around and so did I.

They haven't yet. Did he say why they weren't using it?

jdmara

I was told by an NCAA Women's official that the NCAA questions it's reliability still because of "some specific instances during the regular seasons." I guess they feel there are still come bugs to be worked out with the system. He had not heard the exact situation(s) that let to this opinion though.

-Josh

bas2456

GoodwillRef wrote
I think the NCAA has some issues with PTS...it seems to work fine all game until the last minute or so then there are problems.

I've always wondered how these things work, could someone explain it to me?

GoodwillRef

Each official has a power pack on their waistband that has a button that you push to start the clock...the timer also starts the clock when you chopped the clock in. Each official also has a small microphone in their lanyard that is tuned into the Fox 40 whistle and when you blow the whistle the clock should stop. The timer continues to do their normal duties as a back up. Most officials that I work with really don't care for it at all (NCAAW).

bas2456

Maybe then the reason it doesn't work in the last couple minutes of a game is the noise level in the arena usually rises?

eyezen

bas2456 wrote
Maybe then the reason it doesn't work in the last couple minutes of a game is the noise level in the arena usually rises?

That's why the table timer should be getting it killed also.

bas2456

Well ya, but maybe that's the reason the NCAA didn't spend the money to have the systems installed, since they're unreliable at the most crucial point of the game.

Back In The Saddle

eyezen wrote
That's why the table timer should be getting it killed also.

Didn't the most recent controversies surrounding this involve the clock stopping for no apparent reason for periods of time? The timer doing his/her job properly wouldn't prevent that (assuming that PTS was responsible for the strange behavior, which we don't know)

sseltser

Question for people who have used the PTS.

Can the officials stop the clock on made baskets in the final minute of NCAA games using their belt packs?

Basically what type of buttons or switches are on the belt packs?