Playing Rules
Updated July 7, 2026
General Rules
Participant Insurance: Florida State University does not provide accident insurance coverage for injuries received by Intramural Sports participants. Each participant should make sure that they have coverage either through family policies or the student insurance plan.
Alcohol & Tobacco Products Prohibited: Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages, smoking, and the use of smokeless tobacco and similar products are prohibited at FSU Campus Recreation facilities and any Intramural Sports contest. Violators will be asked to leave the area. Failure to do so can result in forfeiture of the contest, suspension of individuals and/or teams, and appropriate action by the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards and/or the FSU Police.
General Eligibility: Participation is limited to currently-enrolled, fee-paying FSU students, faculty members, and full-time staff. FAMU & TSC students and members of the community are not eligible. In order to participate in an intramural contest, each player must present their current, valid FSUCard. Check-in takes place at designated sign-in locations at the facility, not at the fields or courtside.
Seven Priniciples of Intramural Sports: Additional information regarding player eligibility, team rosters, participant check-in, and other IM guidelines is available in the Seven Principles of Intramural Sports online and in print in the Intramural Sports Office at the Main Campus Fields (1001 W. St. Augustine Street). Requests for exceptions to any policy must be directed to the IM administrative staff during regular weekday business hours in the Intramural Sports Office. No exceptions are granted at the fields or courts.
Sport Rules
Current National Federation (High School) Basketball rules will govern play with the following modifications:
I. TEAM COMPOSITION
1. Games are 3-on-3. Only 5 players may sign-in per team for a single game. Team rosters are unlimited; thus you may have a different five players represent your team each game.
2. A team must have two (2) players to begin a game for single gender leagues. Co-ed teams must have three (3) players to begin a game with at least 1 male and 1 female.
3. All players on a team should wear similar colored shirts or jerseys. Pinnies are available at the court for each team.
4. Appropriate gym footwear must be worn. Running shoes or all-purpose cleats are not appropriate for basketball.
5. No participants may wear hats, caps, or bandannas while playing.
6. Each team is responsible for supplying their own ball for warm-up. Basketballs are available for check-out from the sign-in attendant in Tully Gym. The game ball will be chosen from the warm-up balls. The IM staff shall be the sole judge of the legality of the ball and shall select the best ball available.
II. GAME TIME & SCORING
1. The game will be played until one team scores 21 points or until the time limit of 20 minutes is reached. The clock will run continuously for the entire game. All games will begin simultaneously with the buzz of the scoreboard horn. Game time kept on the large scoreboard for all games.
2. There are NO timeouts. In case of injury, time will be kept by the IM staff for the affected game.
3. Winners need only win by one point. If a game is tied at the end of regulation, the winner will be determined in overtime.
4. All baskets made from inside the 3-point line will count as one point. All baskets beyond the 3-point line will count for two points. All converted foul shots will count as one point.
5. When present at the game, IM staff will enforce the closely-guarded rule. The rule has been implemented to eliminate a team from stalling to retain possession near the end of the game. Violations of this rule, including non-legitimate shots, will result in an offensive turnover and possession for the defending team.
III. OVERTIME
1. There will be a two-minute overtime with a running clock throughout the overtime period.
2. If the game remains tied after the overtime period, the game will move to a sudden victory format. The first team to score will win.
3. A coin toss or rock paper scissors between the captains will determine who gets the ball first to start the first overtime period. Another coin toss or rock paper scissors between captains will determine who gets the ball first to start the sudden victory overtime period.
IV. COURT MONITORS, GAME OFFICIALS, & SITE SUPERVISORS
1. Fighting and excessive arguing will not be tolerated and can result in team dismissal from league or tournament play. A court monitor, game official, or site supervisor may penalize any player, substitute or coach for poor sporting behavior by immediate ejection and banishment from the playing area and gym.
V. GAME RULES
1. Possession to start a game will be determined by a coin toss or rock, paper, scissors.
2. Ball possession changes after a made basket unless a foul is awarded. (Not make it take it.)
3. The imaginary “check line” is the three point line. To start a game/overtime, after a score or when a foul is awarded, a player must pass the ball in from this check line. On defensive rebounds or steals, the ball need only be taken anywhere beyond the line.
4. The defense must take the ball behind the check line on any play in which they gain possession. Whether or not the ball has been shot or has touched the rim does not affect this rule. In the event that the defense obtains possession and does not take the ball behind the check line AND then attempts a shot, the shot and any related activity will be disregarded and a turnover will result. The “new defense” is awarded the ball behind the check line.
VI. FOULS
1. When an official is present, they shall be solely responsible for calling fouls during the game. When an official not present, teams will call their own fouls.
2. An individual player cannot foul out of the game but may be ejected for any cause by the court monitor, game official, or an IM supervisor.
3. Common fouls (non-shooting) result in loss of possession for the offending team.
4. Offensive fouls shall result in disallowing any converted basket and loss of possession.
5. Shooting fouls with a missed basket shall result in retained possession for the shooting team (recheck).
6. Shooting fouls with a converted basket shall result in the basket counted and loss of possession (no penalty, play continues as if there was no foul with the defense taking the ball).
VII. SUBSTITUTIONS
1. Substitutions may be made after a basket, a foul or stoppage of play.
Sporting Behavior
1. The mission of Intramural Sports is to provide a recreational environment for the University community which is safe and enjoyable. While the game atmosphere is often competitive, ensuring participant safety, providing a fun, social atmosphere, and promoting sporting behavior among participants, spectators, and team followers are our primary concerns. The game atmosphere should remain good-natured at all times. Participants shall maintain good sporting behavior throughout their participation in all facets of the intramural program.
2. The Sporting Behavior Rating System is intended to be an objective scale by which teams’ attitude and behavior can be assessed throughout the intramural sports league and playoff seasons. Behavior before, during, and after an intramural sports contest is included in the rating. The team captain is responsible for educating and informing all players and spectators affiliated with their team about the system.
3. A team is responsible for the actions of the individual team members and spectators related to it. Additionally, FSU Intramural Sports does not recognize the use of coaches. Only the team captain shall speak to the officials regarding administrative matters (protests, ejections, disqualifications, etc). Furthermore, the team captain’s efforts in assisting officials/staff to calm difficult situations and to restrain troubled teammates are key to controlling team conduct.
4. Sporting behavior is vital to the conduct of every Intramural contest. In order to encourage proper conduct during games, officials, administrative personnel, and supervisors shall make decisions on whether to warn, penalize or eject players or teams for poor behavior. These decisions are final. The Intramural Sports administrative staff will rule on further penalties as a result of unsporting conduct.
5. Each participant should choose their team members carefully, as all team members will suffer the consequences of any disciplinary action taken by the Intramural Sports staff against that team for violation of the intramural rules and sporting behavior guidelines. Protests or appeals of sporting behavior ratings will not be recognized. The Intramural Sports administrative staff reserves the right to review any rating given to a team.
6. Additional information regarding team and participant sporting behavior including the rating method, factors, and scale is available in the Sporting Behavior Principle of the Seven Principles of Intramural Sports, available online at the FSU Campus Recreation web site.
