Ending timeouts early

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Lotto

The rule: NCAAW Rule 5-13.14a says, "The team that requests a timeout may shorten that timeout when the captain/ head coach notifies the official of the team’s intent."

May I consider the breaking of the huddle and players returning to the floor a notification that that team intends to shorten the timeout?

I've never considered simply coming out on the floor a "notification". What if the coach is done giving instructions to the team, but the trainer is hustling to finish getting a player ready to check back in before the warning horn? Or, the huddle is broken, 4 players are walking back on the court, but the coach is still talking to 1 player? Do you consider the huddle broken? What if the coach is just so disgusted with his players that he tells them to, "...just go stand out there on the floor and think about how badly you've played!" Ok, unlikely, but my point is that while it's not an unreasonable assumption that breaking the huddle early means they want to end the TO early, it's still an assumption.

Now, if a player or coach looks at me and says, "We're done now", I would consider that a notification. And, given the fact there's an official right across from the huddle, it's not too hard to tell them.