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how many quarters in college basketball

College basketball doesn’t really use “quarters” the way the NBA does—it depends on whether it’s men’s or women’s college hoops.

  • In men’s college basketball , there are no quarters. The game is split into two 20‑minute halves instead of four quarters.
  • In women’s college basketball , there are four 10‑minute quarters , so that format does match the usual quarter-based structure people expect from basketball.

So if someone asks “how many quarters in college basketball?” the quick answer is:

  • Men’s college: 0 quarters (2 halves)
  • Women’s college: 4 quarters

Quick Scoop: Game Format

  • Total regulation time in both men’s and women’s college games is 40 minutes , just divided differently.
  • This is shorter than the NBA’s 48 minutes (4 x 12-minute quarters) but the same total time as WNBA and FIBA (4 x 10-minute quarters).

Why the Difference?

  • Men’s college basketball has stuck with the traditional two-half format , which has been part of the NCAA rulebook for decades.
  • Women’s college basketball switched to four quarters to align more with the professional and international game and to adjust things like team fouls and free throws by quarter.

A simple way to remember it: if you hear “third quarter” in a college game, you’re almost certainly watching women’s basketball, not men’s.

Mini FAQ

  • How many quarters are in men’s college basketball?
    • None. It’s two 20‑minute halves.
  • How many quarters are in women’s college basketball?
    • Four 10‑minute quarters.
  • Is the total game time the same?
    • Yes, both formats add up to 40 minutes of regulation play.

Simple HTML Table (as requested)

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>League</th>
      <th>Structure</th>
      <th>Period length</th>
      <th>Total regulation time</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>NCAA Men&apos;s College</td>
      <td>2 halves (no quarters)</td>
      <td>20 minutes per half</td>
      <td>40 minutes</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>NCAA Women&apos;s College</td>
      <td>4 quarters</td>
      <td>10 minutes per quarter</td>
      <td>40 minutes</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>NBA</td>
      <td>4 quarters</td>
      <td>12 minutes per quarter</td>
      <td>48 minutes</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR:

  • Men’s college basketball: no quarters, 2 x 20‑minute halves.
  • Women’s college basketball: 4 x 10‑minute quarters.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.