The first time I saw this, I was really impressed with the creative way a player exploited the rules. Now I see this all the time at the end of the first half.
UCLA scored with 46 seconds left in the half. If Illinois inbounds the ball normally, both teams are likely to get a possession before halftime.
But Illinois doesn't pass the ball to a player on the inbounds. Instead they roll the ball up the floor. The game clock keeps running, but the shot clock doesn't start. When Illinois finally picks up the ball there are 34 seconds left on the game clock.
If Illinois runs the clock all the way down, UCLA will have 3 or 4 seconds for our final possession. In essence they have stolen most of a possession.
It didn't work out for them this time, because we stole the ball and got fouled at the end of the half.
But frequently this does exactly what the team with the ball is trying to do.
Clearly, the countermeasure is to send a player into the back court to force them to pick up the ball, but that is not the right fix.
In the last minute of the first half, the game clock should not run until the ball is touched. That way the game clock and shot clock are in synch.
That takes this gamesmanship out, and returns guys to just playing basketball.