How college basketball's new continuation foul rule works for 2025-26 season

College basketball is taking a step toward its game more resembling the NBA in the 2025-26 season.

For the first time, Division I players will get the benefit of continuation on shooting foul calls.

This will create the potential for more shooting fouls, and more and-1s where the player is fouled and makes a basket that counts.

Here's how it will work:

What is continuation?

Continuation is a concept on basketball fouls that allows for an offensive player to finish an attack of the basket.

The general understanding of continuation is that if someone is preparing to shoot but not shooting yet while fouled, it can still count as a shooting foul and a potential and-1.

How does continuation work in college basketball?

Under the new rule by the NCAA this year, this is the description of what they've called the "continuous motion rule":

"An offensive player who ends his dribble going toward the basket and absorbs contact from the defense will be permitted to pivot or complete the step the player is on and finish the field goal attempt."

Before this, "players are credited with field goals only when they are fouled while shooting the basketball," writes the NCAA.

A key word used in the NBA lexicon with continuation is the "gather," essentially referring to when a player picks up his dribble being the key to whether continuation can happen or not. It'll be interesting to see if the NCAA enforces it in the same way or if it plays out a bit differently.

MORE: How college basketball's new challenge rules work in 2025-26 season