Game Clock

[A Pennsylvania Coach]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Iow, if the clock was set at 5:00, when it should've been 4:00, and :45 runs off before it's noticed, we then set the clock to 4:00 and play on. (Which means the total time played would end up 4 minutes and 45 seconds.) Logically, I would think we take 4:00, subtract off the :45 played, and start from 3:15, using "definite information" principles.

But, if we started at 3:00 instead of 4:00, and :45 runs off, we would correct it to the correct time of 3:15, and the total time played would be only the 4 minutes.

I wonder why the disparity in the two situations?

Say it was accidentally set at 5:00 when it should've been 4:00. It is noticed at 0:48 with the visitors down by one going to the line to shoot two free throws. Are you going to wipe the remaining time off? What if the home team's go-ahead basket came at 0:56, are you going to wipe that off to and revert back to the score at 1:00?

Thus the disparity.