The Basketball Tournament Changing Rules to Reduce Games Ending on Free Throws

The Basketball Tournament is making an adjustment to its rules to lower the number of games ending on free throws. 

Jonathan Mugar, founder and CEO of The Basketball Tournament, told ESPN's Zach Lowe the change will make it so a team that gets fouled while in the bonus during the Elam Ending will get one free-throw attempt and retain possession rather than attempt the standard two free throws. 

The announcement by Mugar comes as the Elam Ending has garnered more attention recently thanks to its use in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. That game ended when Anthony Davis' free throw got Team LeBron to the 157-point threshold for victory. 

The Elam Ending, which requires teams to hit a certain point total to win rather than using timed quarters, was developed in 2007 by Ball State professor Nick Elam.

Per USA Today's Andy Nesbitt, Elam initially had the idea while attending the University of Dayton when the final minutes of an NCAA tournament game went on for a long time because teams were fouling to keep time on the clock. 

Mugar implemented the Elam Ending into The Basketball Tournament, a 64-team, open-application tournament, starting in 2017. The target score is eight points more than the total of the leading team or if the score is tied when the game clock is turned off at the first whistle with under four minutes remaining. 

The new version of the Elam Ending will be used when The Basketball Tournament returns in July.