Throw-in spot

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Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

You won't find "ball location" in the NCAA rule book (2009-11). You will find Section 5. Out of Bounds, Ball in Play from under rule 7.

True, but 7-5 doesn't really help us here, because it simply says that after a violation, the ball is put back in play at a spot closest to where the violation occurred. It doesn't tell us how to determine where the violation occurred.

And while the NCAA book doesn't have a section with the heading "Ball Location", the ball's location is defined for us (in terms of frontcourt/backcourt) in 4-3-3. 4-3-3a says that the if the ball is touching a player or the court, then it has the same location as that player or the court. 4-4-3b says that if the ball is airborne, then it retains the same position it had when it was last touching a player or the court.

So I think Nevada's point is the correct one here. The ball technically becomes dead before it hits the floor in the original situation. Therefore, when it becomes dead, it has the same location as when it left the shooter's hand.

Sideline throw-in.