Committee okays new 3-point line

INDIANAPOLIS - College basketball players might want to start polishing up their long-range shooting.

The men's basketball rules committee approved a measure Thursday that would move the 3-point line back one foot in 2008-09 _ from 19 feet, 9 inches to 20 feet, 9 inches. If approved by the playing rules oversight committee on May 25, it would mark the first major alteration to the 3-point shot since its inception in 1986-87.

The move comes after more than a decade of debate about whether to move the line. The extended line has been used on an experimental basis in some early season tournaments and NCAA statistics have not shown a dramatic change in shooting percentages from the longer line. But the rules change had never previously passed the rules committee for regularseason and postseason games.

"I am a little surprised they have made the change, but I have no real problem with it," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "I am certainly glad they didn't move it back to the NBA distance."