Somebody fill the paint bucket

The University of Richmond's Robins Center court and all other college basketball floors in the country need a new stripe for the 2008-09 season.

For men's games, the NCAA will use a 3-point line that's 20-9 from the basket's center. In past years, the 3-point arc was 19-9 from the ring's center for men and women. That distance will continue to be the case for women. The 3-point shot had become too easy for even average shooters in the men's game, one reason the NCAA concluded a change was a good idea.

So courts will include two 3-point lines (2 inches wide each) of contrasting colors. The Atlantic 10 Conference was among the leagues that voted for a foot-wide band of paint -- from 19-9 to 20-9 -- rather than two lines.

The A-10 believed the band would look better and be less confusing than two arcs for all concerned (players, coaches, officials, fans). If women's feet were on or behind the paint band, it was a 3-point attempt. If men's feet were on or inside the paint band, it was not a 3-point attempt.

More leagues voted for two lines.

UR will redo its court late this summer. In addition to painting the new 3-point line, UR is considering a fresh playing-floor design, according to David Walsh, Richmond's deputy athletic director. Currently, "Spiders" is written across midcourt, and there is no paint in the lanes.

Scheduling formula nearing completion

The A-10 men's scheduling formula will again start with a three-tier approach, but then add a different twist this coming season. The 14 teams will be separated into three groups based on their projected strength.

Each team will play all others, for 13 games. To get the other three dates in the 16-game conference obligation, each team will be scheduled for a second meeting with one team from each of the three groups. Rematched opponents will be determined by geography and many other factors, according to Ray Cella, associate commissioner of the A-10.

"Everything we do in this league is to get more schools in the NCAA tournament," Cella said. "Scheduling is part of that."

The league has not released the conference schedule or which teams are paired for rematches. Last year, teams within the three groups played each other in rematches to protect the computer ratings of the league's elite teams. -- John O'Connor