Kansas State got a technical for dunking in warmups … what?

Yes, you can get a technical for dunking a basketball in the NCAA, if you do it before the game. Observe:

Kansas State is assessed with a technical foul -- it doesn’t count as a personal or team foul -- and Kentucky gets to shoot two free throws before the game starts. Weird, right. You probably have questions.

Where did this rule come from?

It’s actually been a rule in high school and college for a while. Silly, yes, but that’s the rules. Like the whole arbitrary hanging on the rim thing, which still gets called even if a player is worried about falling on someone.

What’s the rule?

Well, here:

When is this rule enforced?

It begins 20 minutes before game time, when officials have jurisdiction over the game (Rule 2-4.1 and 2):

The officials shall have the power to make decisions for infractions of the rules committed either within or outside the boundary lines from 20 minutes before the scheduled starting time of the game through the referee’s approval of the final score.

At least one official shall arrive on the floor 20 minutes before the start of the game.

What happens if a team gets t’d for dunking before a game?

A weird pre-game free throw thing, where the team that didn’t dunk stands at the line by itself and shoots two free throws. And then the game starts!

Is there a way around this?

Yes, there is. Players will typically go up like they’re going for a dunk before gently laying it in. It looks odd, but them’s be the breaks.

Can you throw down neat dunks during warm-ups, though?

You can, and players are smart about it. Come to shoot around early enough and you’ll see players dunking during lay-up lines. If referees aren’t on the court, players just kind of know. They typically just don’t do it once the game clock countdown hits 20 minutes.

Does the NCAA hate fun?

Yes. You knew this already.