NCAA LiveStats for Basketball - FAQ

 

 

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CRITICAL WARNING: A GAME KEY SHOULD BE USED ONLY ONCE, AND ONLY BY THE HOST INSTITUTION FOR THE OFFICIAL SCORING OF THE GAME. Having two or more people scoring a game with the same Game Key will cause the files to merge and combine, therefore corrupting the statistics for the game.


If you wish to practice with NCAA LiveStats (which we recommend!) please set the game up manually. Please do NOT use the Game Key for this. Any practice or non-official game should always be set up manually in NCAA LiveStats.


Contents


Calling and InputtingSetting up gamesOther questionsHow do I enter...?Editing PlaysError Messages


Calling and inputting

 

Where can I get the rosters for the two NCAA LiveStats Practice Games?

  • Practice Game #1 - 2014 NCAA Men's Championship Game (UConn vs. Kentucky) - View Box Score 
  • Practice Game #2 - 2018 NCAA Men's Championship Game (Villanova vs. Michigan) - View Box Score 
  • Practice Game #3 - 2019 NCAA Women's Sweet Sixteen Game (Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M) - View Box Score
  • At the bottom of this page, you can download a Game File with the rosters pre-loaded for practice purposes. Save the files to your computer. In NCAA LiveStats, use Load Exported Game to load the file.
  • Please note: The Export Game and Load Exported Game functions are used for training and support purposes and are not standard operating procedure for the NCAA LiveStats platform. 


What are the best practices for communication between the caller and the inputter?

  • Possibility 1: The caller can deliver information in the order of “Where? – What? – Who?”
    • Examples:
    • “Right elbow, missed by 23, jumper, rebound blue 10”
    • “Layup, made by 33, driving, assist 12”
    • “3 pointer left corner, missed by 35, jumper, block 11, rebound white 30”
    • “Left wing, missed by 2, jumper, tip in made by 15”
  • Possibility 2: The inputter can see the court location on their own, and then listen to the caller to reinforce the location and hear the remainder of the information. Often, the inputter will probably have a sense of what has happened even as the caller is relaying information to them.
  • Most stat teams find calling actions with colors that correspond to the colors assigned to the teams in NCAA LiveStats works better than calling team names, or "home" and "visitor".

 

What is the best way for callers to call locations?

  • Every statistics crew will develop their own language. Generally, it’s good to begin with common court markings and distances such as: corner, wing, elbow, short corner, in the paint, straight away, free throw line, top of the key, 10-footer, 15-footer, three-pointer, deep three-pointer.
  • Some callers may use terms like: far side/near side or bench side/bleacher side to differentiate sides of the court.
  • It may also be useful to take note of logos, artwork or other lines on your playing floor that can be used as landmarks such as: Right logo, Big Ten logo, Red line.
  • Another technique is to print out a blank court diagram and place that next to the computer. Then the caller can point to locations on the sheet, so the inputter can the enter them on the computer. - Blank NCAA basketball court diagram 
  • Other stat crews might find it best to not call locations and rely on the inputter to see it themselves, or only call out 3-pointer or 2-pointer and let the inputter see the location.

 

Should I use a mouse or a touchscreen?

  • Either method works well. It's really a matter of personal preference.


 Setting up games


How do I set up a regular season game in NCAA LiveStats?

  • Watch instructional video HERE.
  • By retrieving a Game Key from the NCAA School & Conference Manager (NSCM). Sign-in to the NSCM and use the Games List to locate the game you wish to set-up. Click on the game, and the Game Key will be visible. Copy the Game Key to your computer's clipboard.  On the Create a New Game menu in NCAA LiveStats, choose “Enter a Game Key”. Paste the Game Key into the space to create the game.
  • If you wish to set up a practice or exhibition game that is not in the NSCM, you are always able to create a game manually in NCAA LiveStats on the opening screen, but that game cannot be made an official NCAA game.
  • Remember: Using a Game Key will make the game official and send the data to the NCAA Statistics Database and the NSCM. If you don't wish to use NCAA LiveStats in an official capacity, create the game manually.


How do I set up a regular season game against a non-NCAA member school?

  • Check the NSCM to see if the non-NCAA member team is listed. If they have played an NCAA opponent earlier in the season and NCAA LiveStats was used to score the game, the roster will be visible when clicking their entry.
    • If the non-NCAA opponent has a roster in the NSCM, find the game in the Games List, choose platform "LiveStats", click on the game and copy the Game Key to your clipboard. Create the game in NCAA LiveStats as usual. As always verify the accuracy of the rosters before stating the game.
    • If the non-NCAA opponent does not have a roster in the NSCM, find the game in the Games List, choose platform "LiveStats", click on the game and copy the Game Key to your clipboard. Create the game in NCAA LiveStats as usual. When you reach the "Players" tab in the game setup progress, you will need to enter the roster of the non-NCAA opponent manually. Upon completing the game, the roster you entered will be stored in the NSCM for the next school who might play that opponent.


How do I set up a neutral site game?

  • Obtain the Game Key from a Sports Information Personnel member from either of the participating schools. You can also request "Game Day personnel" access in the NSCM from either school to retrieve the Game Key and set up the game.
  • On the Game Information menu, check the box for "Neutral Venue." On the Teams tab, be sure to indicate which team is the designated home team and which team in the designated away team using the selection buttons.
  • WARNING: If the HOST school is using the Game Key neither participating school should be using it at all, or you may corrupt the statistics.


In the NSCM, my game still has TBA listed for an opponent. Should I create this game with a Game Key?

  • Generally speaking, no. You should wait until the game has been updated in the NCAA Statistics Database with both opponents appearing to create the game with the Game Key.
  • However, if you did create the game before both opponents are listed, NCAA LiveStats will ask if you wish to use updated data when you open the game again. You should accept that request and correct data for opponents will populate the game.


Do I need to Finish and Finalize the game at the end?

  • YES! In fact, it's absolutely critical. Without Finalizing the game, data does not get pushed back to the NSCM and then on to the NCAA Statistics Database. Your game won't appear as completed.
  • After Finalizing the game WAIT until your computer says all data has been sent before closing NCAA LiveStats or shutting down the computer. NCAA LiveStats needs a little time to send all the game data to Genius Sports databases.
  • If you want to verify that all data has been sent, sign-in to the NSCM and verify your game status is listed as "COMPLETED" before closing NCAA LiveStats.


How do I enter…?

 

How do I enter starters?

  • During pregame, the starters button is located on each side of the screen under the team names. Click on either button and select five players for each team as the starters. 
  • When the pregame countdown clock reached 7:00 minutes or less, the starters screen will automatically appear if they haven't yet been entered. 


How do I enter a fast break basket?

  • The option to credit fast break points is always available on the Shot Type menu. Use the slider switch on the bottom of the page to mark a made basket as a fast break basket. If the made basket occurs within 8 seconds of the previous play, NCAA LiveStats will prompt “Fast Break?” immediately after you choose the shot type. Choose “Yes” or “No” as appropriate. Watch sample video HERE. 
  • Take note that Fast Break points can be credited on free throw attempts, if a shooting foul occurred in a fast break situation. Whenever free throws are awarded within eight seconds of the previous entry, NCAA LiveStats will set the free throws to be included in Fast Break points by default. If that's not accurate for the particular case, the inputter should switch the Fast Break indicator to off before entering the free throws. Watch sample video HERE. 

 

Do I need to enter points in the paint or second chance points?

  • No. Points in the paint is calculated automatically based on the shot location selected. Second chance points are also calculated automatically following offensive rebounds.


How do I enter a shot that occurs at the buzzer?

  • NCAA LiveStats does not permit a shot to be entered with 00.0 seconds on the clock. Add seconds or tenths of seconds to the clock, either by using the up arrows on the game clock, or double-clicking the clock and entering in a new time directly. Then input the shot normally, and let the clock expire.
  • However, if you have already entered a location when the clock reaches 00.0, you will be able to finish entering the action.


How do I enter a deadball rebound after a free throw?

  • There’s no need to enter deadball rebound after a free throw. Deadball rebounds after missed free throws are counted automatically. Deadball rebounds do not show up on the Action Log, but they are being accounted for.


How do I enter a lane violation on a free throw attempt?

  • Watch sample video HERE.
  • If the violation is on the shooter or one of his/her teammates and it results in a change of possession (because it’s the last attempt), click “Put on Hold” which will return you to the main entry screen. Choose a location, then click Turnover, charge it to the offending player, and choose type “FT Lane Violation”. Later you can click on the highlighted play to open it, and then choose Done to clear the Put on Hold.
  • If the violation is on the defensive team and results in a replacement free throw, simply ignore the cancelled free throw.
  • If there is a double free throw lane violation, click “Put on Hold”. If the offensive team loses possession of the ball on the alternating possession arrow, charge a turnover to the offensive player who committed the violation. Manually change the alternating possession arrow to the proper direction. Later you can click on the highlighted play to open it, and then choose Done to clear the Put on Hold.


How do I enter a made basket with an “and-1” foul?

  • Enter the made basket as normal. After selecting the assist (or no assist), choose a personal foul on the defensive team. Indicate the player who committed the foul, and choose type Shooting. NCAA LiveStats will prompt for 1 free throw. Click Next and enter the result of the free throw. Watch sample video HERE.

 

How do I enter a shot attempt with a blocked shot?

  • Enter the missed basket as normal. On the rebound result screen choose Block, and select the player who blocked the shot. Then choose the player (or team) who got the rebound.


How do I enter a flurry of tip-ins or quick put backs around the rim?

  • Enter the original missed basket as normal. On the rebound result screen choose “Missed Tip-In” and credit it to the appropriate player. NCAA LiveStats will automatically credit both the rebound and the subsequent missed shot to that player. You can repeat the “Missed Tip-In function as many times as necessary. If the Tip-In is made, choose “Made Tip-In” and the appropriate player to credit the rebound and the basket. Watch sample video HERE.


How do I enter a team rebound?

  • On the rebound entry screen, click the name of the team to credit them with a team rebound. Watch sample video HERE.

 

How do I enter a team turnover?

  • After clicking turnover, click the name of the offensive team to charge them with a team turnover. On the next screen, choose turnover type. Watch sample video HERE.

 

How do I enter a held ball/jump ball?

  • On an ordinary held ball between two players, click Jump Ball, then choose the reason, in this case Held Ball. Based on the alternating possession arrow if the ball goes to the defense, NCAA LiveStats will know if they play is now a turnover. It will prompt for the player to be charged with the turnover and for the opposing player to credited with a steal. If, based on the alternating possession arrow, the ball goes to the offense it will return to the entry screen since there are no statistics to be awarded. Watch sample video HERE.
  • On a held ball which occurs on a rebound after a missed shot, enter the missed shot as usual. On the rebound entry page, choose Jump Ball and reason Contested Rebound. Based on the alternating possession arrow, NCAA LiveStats will prompt for a rebound for a member of the team which will now have possession of the ball. Watch sample video HERE.
  • On a blocked shot tie-up which results in a jump ball, enter the missed shot as usual. On the rebound entry page select block and choose the player to credit the blocked shot. Then click Jump Ball, and choose reason Block Tie-Up. Based on the alternating possession arrow, NCAA LiveStats will assign a rebound for a member of the team which will now have possession of the ball. Watch sample video HERE.
  • On a shot which become lodged in the basket or comes to rest on top of the rim, enter the missed shot as usual. On the rebound screen, choose Jump Ball and choose reason Lodged Ball. NCAA LiveStats will award the ball to the team with the alternating possession arrow, and return you to the entry screen. The associated deadball rebound will be credited automatically. Watch sample video HERE.


How do I enter a double foul?

  • Charge a foul to the defensive player. For foul type, choose “Double”. Then select the offensive player to receive a foul. Verify the possession of the ball and the alternate possession arrow are both pointing in the proper directions, and change manually if needed.


How do I handle mass substitutions?

  • On the substitution screen, click “Switch to Wave Sub” to remove all five players from the game. Then choose five players to put back into the game. NCAA LiveStats will record the substitutions properly. Watch sample video HERE.


How do I reset lineups at the end of a period?

  • By default, the lineups to start a new period will be the same as the lineup that ended the previous period. You may choose to use the Wave Sub function on the substitution screen to clear the floor of all players and re-enter them as they take the floor for the next period.
  • You may want to get in the habit of using Wave Sub at each time out, and re-entering players as they return to the floor.
  • By clicking Wave Sub you will also be presented with a "Reselect Starters" button. Click the button to put the original five starters back in the game.


How do I make substitutions during a free throw attempt?

  • On the Enter Free Throw Results page, click the Substitution button. You can make subs for either team and return to the Free Throw Results page when finished. Watch sample video HERE.

  

How do I enter a technical foul on the offensive team when they retain the ball at the point of interruption?

  • Enter in the technical foul for the offensive team. A team turnover will be charged automatically. Enter in the defensive team’s free throws. If the shooter misses the last of the free throws, credit a deadball rebound to the offensive team to properly return possession back to them.


How do I enter a technical foul assessed prior to the opening jump ball?

  • When the pre-game countdown clock has expired, choose Technical Foul for the team charged with the violation. Choose the Team's name to charge a team technical foul. Verify the correct number of free throws and select the player who will shoot them. 
    • If the final free throw is made, enter it and proceed to the Jump Ball button to start the game.
    • If the final free throw is missed, temporarily ignore the rebound screen and choose Jump Ball to clear that screen. Then click Jump Ball again to start the game. Once the jump ball has been completed, double click the free throw attempts in the Action Log to open the play in the editor. Credit a deadball rebound to the team that won the opening tip. Watch sample video HERE.


How do I enter technical foul for a "flop" in a men's basketball game?

  • Watch sample video HERE
  • A "flop" is a Class B Technical foul charged to the individual player in men's basketball.
  • Click Technical Foul, choose the player and assign as type Class B technical. One free throw is awarded.
  • If the free throw is missed, choose Dead Ball Rebound, and credit it to the team who will be in possession next.
  • Under the Game menu, add a Comment to indicate that this technical foul was due to a flop.

 

How do I enter technical foul for a "flop" in a women's basketball game?

  • Watch sample video HERE
  • The first violation is a warning. There is nothing to enter into NCAA LiveStats for a warning.
  • A "flop" is a Bench Technical foul charged to the team in women's basketball.
  • Click Technical Foul, choose Bench and assign as a Bench Technical. Two free throws are awarded.
  • If the last free throw is missed, choose Dead Ball Rebound, and credit it to the team who will be in possession next.
  • Under the Game menu, add a Comment to indicate that this technical foul was due to a flop.

  

How do I enter an "intentional" foul?

  • The term intentional foul is no longer used in the NCAA rule book, however sometimes officials still use that terminlogy.
  • For men's basketball, the proper entry is a Flagrant 1 foul.
  • For women's basketball, the proper entry is an Unsportsmanlike foul.

  

How do I add a comment to describe certain types of enhanced fouls and technical fouls?

  • The NCAA would like users to discern different types of enhanced fouls and technical fouls using the Comments function in NCAA LiveStats.
  • Under the Game menu, choose Comment
  • Examples of comments may look like this...
    • 10:00 (1st) Administrative Tech - Purdue
    • 9:21 (2nd) Intentional/Unsportsmanlike Foul - Indiana #23
    • 3:45 (3rd) Disqualifying Foul  - Purdue #12
    • 1:22 (3rd) Flopping Technical- Indiana
    • 56.3 (4th) Delay of Game Technical- Purdue


How do I fix the game clock?

  • For small adjustments, you can use the up or down arrows located next to the clock display. If you wish to type in a new time directly, double-click on the clock itself, and enter a corrected time.
  • If the clock is below 1:00 and you wish to change to a time greater than 1:00, use the arrows to push the time above 1:00. Then you can edit directly if needed.


How do I enter in a field goal scored in the wrong basket?

  • Wrong basket scores are rare, so they can only be entered in the Play Editor.
  • Open the Action Log, and click the play closest to where the Wrong Basket should go.
  • Choose Insert Earlier or Insert Later than the play, and then select Shot from the drop-down menu.
  • Choose a location for the play.
  • Choose the team will receive two points added to their score.
  • Choose Shot Type “Wrong Basket”.
  • When you return to the main input screen, switch the BALL indicator to the team now in possession of the ball. Change it manually by clicking on the indicator, if necessary. (NOTE: This will appear as a Flagged play, but there is no error. This will be corrected in a future update.) 
  • Watch sample video HERE. 


I clicked the wrong entry. How can I go back to the previous step or cancel the last entry?

  • Use the “Step Back” button at the lower left of the main entry screen to go back one step to the last entry to make a quick correction.
  • Use the “Cancel & Delete” button at the lower right of the main entry screen to cancel the current play being entered.



Editing plays

 

How do I edit a play?

  • The most recent plays will be contained in the Action Log on the right-hand side of the screen. Simply click a play to enter the editor, and make the changes as necessary. Be aware that starting or stopping the clock while in the Play Editor will force a return to the main entry screen. In the Play Editor you can adjust any element of the play including the time if needed.
  • If the play was further back, you can click the arrows icon in the Action Log header to open up the Action Log into full screen mode to review the entire play-by-play. In full screen mode, the entire play-by-play can be filtered with the sorting option in the left-hand column. To edit a play in full screen mode, click the pencil icon in the edit column. If you need to insert a missing play, choose a play from the list, and click either Insert Earlier or Insert Later at the top of the screen. Choose the type of action you wish to insert and enter the play.


What are the best practices for managing substitutions and lineups?

  • Prioritize correct lineups and subs over correct plays. Because a lineup mistake can create additional problems in subsequent plays, getting the current lineup correct should be a priority. Adding missed plays after the fact is easier to do than fixing incorrect lineups.

  • Remember that, in the event of a mistake, you can easily assign actions to a player who doesn’t appear to be in the game, by choosing their player icon from the bench area on your screen. This is a better option than crediting or charging stats to the wrong player.

  • You can also adjust the timestamp of a substitution to align with the action.

  • If you need to remove a sub completely, the best course of action is to “reverse” the sub, which will remove it from your Action Log.

  • If you do need to fix a sub later, it is often necessary to reverse ALL the subs, starting from the most recently entered play and working backwards to the mistake. Then re-entering all the subs you had deleted. Catching the error and fixing it as soon as possible, will help you avoid this process.


How do I edit a substitution or adjust playing time?

  • Watch sample video HERE
  • In NCAA LiveStats, substitutions are part of the play-by-play record. So to make an adjustment in playing time requires you to insert, delete or adjust the time stamp on a sub, the same way you would other plays.
  • Adding or removing a substitution may create other flagged plays, as subsequent lineups are affected. Those plays can be opened in the editor and fixed, or by clicking Save, NCAA LiveStats will add the necessary substitution actions in order to clear the flags. Watch demonstration video HERE.
  • The Action Log does not permit you to directly delete a substitution. This is to prevent creating additional problems with lineups in subsequent plays. The recommended procedure is to "reverse" the sub to undo the action. Take out the players you had put it, and put in the players you had taken out. This will remove the play from the Action Log.
  • Use Insert Earlier or Insert Later to add lineup changes at the desired point of the game.


How do I make post-game edits?


How do I change a 3-point basket/attempt to a 2-point basket/attempt (or vice versa)?

  • Choose the made/missed shot in question on the Action Log. Under the court diagram, choose Edit Location. Move the location of the shot inside the three-point arc (or outside the three-point arc). Choose Done and then Proceed. The corrected value of the shot will now be reflected in the score.  Watch sample video HERE.


What are linked plays?

  • In the editor, some plays are marked as being linked. Certain plays must be linked together, because they can’t exist alone. For instance, a sub out must always be linked to a sub in. Likewise, a missed shot is always linked to a rebound. When editing, those linked plays cannot be separated and function as a single play.


What is Flag & Proceed?

  • You can Flag any play by clicking the gray flag icon directly in the Action Log, without needing to open the play in the editor. This will mark the play with a red flag to indicate that something may be wrong with it, or it needs attention. This will allow you to quickly bookmark a potential mistake so you can find it later. NCAA LiveStats may also Flag plays itself, if it suspects some kind of input error (such as crediting stats to a player not currently in the game). When you return to edit the play click the red Review flag in the upper left corner to read the error message.
  • You can also click on any play in the Action Log you will have the option to Flag & Proceed that play. If you placed the Flag yourself, it will be cleared once you return to edit the play (even if you ultimately don’t make any changes). When you reach the end of the period NCAA LiveStats will prompt you to check all flagged plays. Watch sample video HERE.


I accidentally clicked the wrong location on the floor. What do I do?

  • If you haven’t entered any more data, simply click the court again to change the location of the play. You may also use Step Back to clear the location you clicked.
  • If you already entered the entire play, you can fix the court location in the editor. Click on the play in the Action Log. Under the court diagram, choose Edit Location. Adjust the location of the play accordingly. Click Done and then Proceed.


How do I change a player’s jersey number or name?

  • If you discover a mistake in a player’s jersey number, or a player must change jerseys for whatever reason, go to the Game tab on the top of the screen. Choose Edit Players. Make the necessary changes to either team’s roster and click Save & Confirm. Watch sample video HERE.
  • Players names should NOT be edited or changed. If you need to change a players name, create a new player at the bottom of the roster, and then deactivate the incorrect player. To make a permanent change to your roster, access the roster in the NCAA Statistics database at stats.ncaa.org.


How do I switch the teams to the other side of the court?

  • If you discover that the teams are not playing offense in the direction expected, go to the Game tab on the top of the screen. Choose Switch Team Sides. At halftime, there is no need to switch teams to the opposite side of the court. NCAA LiveStats will do so automatically. Watch sample video HERE.



Other Questions?

 

Can you show me examples of the different shot types?


What do I do if my computer crashes or freezes in the middle of the game?

  • Cloud Recovery: If you have a second computer available, you can enter the Game Key into that computer, and take over scoring on that machine. NOTE: This action will lock out the first computer and prevent it from continuing, so do not use this function unless absolutely necessary. Do not attempt to operate two computer simultaneously with the same Game Key. This will corrupt your data.
  • If you are able to shutdown and restart the same computer, you can re-open the game and the local file will be preserved at the same point you left off. You can then begin entering missed plays, or insert missed plays in the editor.


I'm ready to start the game, but the only option appears to be a Technical Foul. What am I missing?

  • The jump ball! Click the Jump Ball button located underneath the game clock. Indicate the two players participating in the jump. Click Start Clock when the ball is put into play, and then indicate the team that recovered the opening tip. The BALL indicator will show the team with the ball, and the black possession arrow will show which team gets possession on the next alternating possession rule situation.


What is the process for confirming the end of a period, setting up overtime or finalizing the end of a game?

  • At the end of a period…
    • Next to the clock, click “End Period”
    • In the same location, click “Confirm Period”
    • NCAA LiveStats will prompt you to Confirm Now, Edit Events, or Confirm Later. Confirming the period will not prevent you from making edits in that period at a later time.
    • If you have any flagged actions, NCAA LiveStats will prompt you to resolve them at this time. You can choose to resolve your flagged actions or not.
    • If you have not entered an Attendance figure, NCAA LiveStats will prompt for an Attendance. You can enter or edit the Attendance any time by choosing the Game menu and selecting “Edit Game Information”
    • Next to the clock, click “Set Up Period”. If necessary, the two teams will switch sides on your screen. The clock will reset for a new period.
  • Setting up an overtime period…
    • If the game is tied after the final regulation period or a subsequent overtime period, clicking Set Up Period will set the game for an overtime period or an additional overtime period.
  •  At the end of the game…
    • Next to the clock, click “End Period”
    • In the same location, click “Confirm Period”
    • NCAA LiveStats will prompt you to Confirm Now, Edit Events, or Confirm Later. At this time, you should choose Confirm Now.
    • If you have any flagged actions, NCAA LiveStats will prompt you to resolve them at this time. At this time you should do your best to resolve any flagged plays. However, having unresolved flagged plays will not prevent you from finalizing the game.
    • If you have not entered an Attendance figure, NCAA LiveStats will prompt for an Attendance. You can enter or edit the Attendance any time by choosing the Game menu and selecting “Edit Game Information”
    • Next to the clock, click “Finish Game”
    • In the same location, click “Finalize Game”. IMPORTANT: Once you click Finalized Game, you will NOT be able to make any more changes to the file, without requesting and obtaining a Post-Game Edit License Key in the NSCM.
    • Once the game is finalized, wait for the progress and confirmation message from NCAA LiveStats to appear before closing the program.


Do I need to update my team's records at the end of the game? 

  • No. NCAA LiveStats knows who won the game and who lost the game, so it will do that for you once you click Finalize Game.


Where do I find the NCAA Game ID number for my game?

  • Open the game in NCAA LiveStats
  • Under the Help menu, choose Game Information
  • The ID number is listed as "Game ID" or "NCAA Game ID"


My game was postponed. What do I need to do?

  • As you have always done, your first step when a game is postponed is to notify the NCAA Media Coordination and Statistics office at NCAAstats@ncaa.org.
  • As of 2020, NCAA members can edit and update their own schedules in the NCAA Statistics database at stats.ncaa.org.
  • Once the NCAA database the new date will be reflected in the NSCM.
  • However, if the new date is not showing in the NSCM, there's no reason to worry. Use the same Game Key for that game, and on the Game Information tab adjust the date and time accordingly.


In the Pregame check I received a "System Clock Difference Detected" message. What does this mean?

  • In order for NCAA LiveStats to properly connect to the Genius Sports servers, the clock on your computer must be in sync to the world clock. This message appears when the clock on your computer does not match the world clock. Without proper synchronization you will not be able to connect to the servers which will prevent the creation of Game Books, Pack files and XML files.
  • Use http://time.is to see the current world time and learn how far off your computer is.
  • In your computer Settings go to "Change Date & Time"
  • Set "Set time automatically" to On.
  • If necessary, use "Change Date & Time" to manually set you computer clock to match the world clock.
  • If your organization's restrictions prevent you from changing clock settings, please contact your IT department.


My Space Bar is not working to start and stop the clock. What do I do?

  • NOTE: As of the 2019-20 season we believe this issue has been corrected. Please contact us at NCAAsupport@geniussports.com with the circumstances if you still encounter it.
  • Close the game in NCAA LiveStats and re-open it. Your game will be saved. This is an occasional glitch in Windows.
  • Best practice is to use the Pregame Countdown clock to test if the Space Bar is working before the contest actually begins.


What’s the difference between the black arrow and the BALL indicator?

  • The BALL indicator shows which team is currently in possession of the ball. The black arrow represents the direction of the alternating possession arrow in the event of a held ball. Both can be adjusted manually by clicking on them, but except for special situations (like a foul or kicked ball after a held ball has been called) those indicators will change automatically.


What is a dribbling turnover?

  • A dribbling turnover would be a double dribble, a discontinued dribble or a palming the ball violation.

 

Can I delete a game from NCAA LiveStats?

  • No. The games list in NCAA LiveStats will sort with the most recently opened game at the of the list, so older games will fall down to the bottom out of view. Older games will have no effect on season statistics or any other game.


What is the Put on Hold button?

  • On the Enter Free Throw Results page, there is a button labeled Put on Hold. This function can be used when a play (such as a technical foul) interrupts a free throw attempt series. Click Put on Hold to pause the free throw attempts in progress. Enter in the subsequent plays (such as a technical fouls and those associated free throws). When you need to return to the interrupted free throws, click the play in the Action Log. It will return you to the play in the Play Editor. Complete the remaining free throw(s) in the Play Editor.  Watch sample video HERE.

 

What is the Pregame clock?

  • After loading the game, you will have the ability to set the pregame clock. Match this clock to the arena’s scoreboard countdown and it will provide users an accurate timer leading up to the start of the game. When the pregame clock reaches 7:00, NCAA LiveStats will prompt the inputter to enter the starters if they haven’t done so already. It is not required to use the pregame clock.


Sometimes I see a green bar that says "Messages" with a number counting down. What is that?

  • Each message is a play entry. That is a status bar that tells the user how many plays are remaining to be sent to the warehouse. Most of the time, you can ignore it. However, you should not close NCAA LiveStats or shutdown their computer while messages are being sent.


How do I use the filters in the Action Log to locate a play?

  • By clicking on the Arrows icon above the Action Log, you can open the Action Log Editing window full screen. In the left-hand column are a number of filters that you can use to locate a particular play. Choose a filter and the play list will display only those plays that match the selection. You can choose multiple filters to further narrow down the set of plays you are searching. At the top of the page, you will see which filters are applied, and can turn off any filter you choose. Watch sample video HERE.


What is the difference between Name, Short Name, Short Team Code, and Long Team Code?

  • Name – The full name of the school, for example, “Middle Tennessee State University”
  • Short Name – An abbreviated version, for example, “Middle Tennessee St.” or "Blue Raiders"
  • Short Team Code – This must be exactly 3 characters, for example, “MTS”. The Short Team Code will not appear on any reports if you also enter a Long Team Code.
  • Long Team Code – A school’s most common acronym, using 1-6 characters, that will be used on reports, for example “MTSU”. If you put in a Long Team Code it will override the Short Team Code as that team’s primary abbreviation in reports.


Can I indicate a national ranking for a team in NCAA LiveStats?

  • There is no dedicated field for national ranking, but you may edit the team's name on the Teams tab in game setup to include a ranking. For instance, you can change "Wisconsin" to "#16 Wisconsin".


How do I use the In-Arena Utility to activate the data feed for use by scoreboards and TV networks?


How do I set my Default Printer and my Quick Print options?

  • In the Print Settings tab, during game setup, you can use Default Report for Quick Print to specify a specific report (usually Box Score) and the number of copies to print using the Quick Print function. During the game, simply click Quick Print at the top of the entry screen to produce the requested number of reports.
  • You can add additional printers to the Quick Print function and thereby print to multiple printers with a single click of the Quick Print button on the main entry screen.
  • Also in the Print Setting tab, you can set your default printer. Next to default printer, you can use Number of Copies to Print to establish a default number of copies for any report that you print from the Reports tab. Note, that this may be a different number of copies than you set for the Quick Print function.


What are the Game Message and Score Unreliable boxes on the input screen?

  • The Game Message is drop-down box that gives you a quick way to indicate to viewers that the game has been temporarily delayed in some manner.
  • The Score Unreliable toggle lets you indicate to fans that the current score displayed may not be correct due to an entry error or some other malfunction.


What are Game Keys?

  • Game Keys are unique identification numbers assigned to each game in the NCAA School and Conference Manager (NSCM). To set-up a game with a Game Key, copy the Game Key from NSCM to your computer’s clipboard. On the Create a New Game menu in NCAA LiveStats, choose “Enter a Game Key”. Paste the Game Key into the space to create the game. Watch instructional video HERE.
  • IMPORTANT - Using a Game Key will trigger the beginning of the game in the database and begin sending official stats to the NCAA Statistics Database and the NSCM. Do NOT use a Game Key for unofficial games, and do NOT enter test plays into a game created with a Game Key.


Why can't I turn off certain stats, or choose to not track some statistics?

  • One of the long term goals on the NCAA LiveStats project is to create consistent data collection for all NCAA schools. So with rare exceptions, users are not permitted to turn on or off different statistics. This helps insure that all NCAA schools are collecting the same set of data for each game or match.


Is there a keystroke entry option?

  • No, there is not a keystroke option because NCAA LiveStats is gathering information based on location and many automations are location driven (2pt vs 3 pt FG, FT on FG attempt, what shot selections are available).


If I am using NCAA LiveStats, what happens when I play on the road and the opponent uses StatCrew/Presto?

  • The opponent will upload their post-game information to the NCAA Database, and the data will migrate into the NSCM. With that data, users can run any available reports.


What do I put in the Competition field in Game Information?

  • The Competition field is required on the Game Information tab. This information will appear in the header on most reports. If this is a tournament, enter the name of the tournament. If it’s an ordinary regular season game, we recommend using “NCAA Men’s Basketball” or “NCAA Women’s Basketball”.


Error Messages


Application Error: Couldn't open the game. The RPC server is unavailable.

  • This is a rather common Windows error that occurs in a wide variety of situations, most of them involving communications between two machines across a network. The solution is to close all programs and restart your machine. For more information, click here.