It was Matt Bohannon’s job to inbound the ball for Northern Iowa, and he knew the Panthers still had at least one timeout available. So what if UNI had a timeout available — and the NBA’s insipid rule that allows teams to advance the ball to midcourt in the decisive moments of a game? Here it is, people, the worst rule in all of American sport:
“If a regular or mandatory timeout is awarded the offensive team during the last two minutes of the fourth period and/or any overtime period and (1) the ball is out-of-bounds in the backcourt (except for a suspension of play), or (2) after securing the ball from a rebound and prior to any advance of the ball, or (3) after securing the ball from a change of possession and prior to any advance of the ball, the timeout shall be granted.