USA TODAY Sports

The NIT once again will serve as a testing ground for college hoops.

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel has approved some experimental rules for the 2017 tournament that affect team fouls and the shot clock. Among the experiments: Team fouls will be reset to zero at the end of 10-minute segments of each half — incorporating elements of playing four quarters while staying with a two-half format — and the shot clock will be reset to 20 seconds instead of 30 at times when the ball is inbounded in the front court.

Here are the details from the NCAA:

►Each team is limited to a team total of four personal and technical fouls (excluding administrative technical fouls) during each 10-minute segment of each half.

► The first 10-minute segment of each half will begin when the ball becomes live to begin the half and will end when the game clock reads 10:00. The second segment will begin when the game clock reads 9:59 and ends when the half ends.

► When a team has reached the four-foul limitation, all subsequent personal and technical fouls (excluding administrative technical fouls) will be penalized by two free throw attempts.

► Each team’s foul total will reset to zero when any 10-minute segment has ended.

► The rules regarding penalties for fouls in the act of shooting, flagrant fouls or technical fouls will not be affected by this experimental rule and will always result in two free throws unless the rules specifically say otherwise.

►In any overtime period, when a team has reached a total of three personal and technical fouls (excluding administrative technical fouls), all subsequent personal and technical fouls will be penalized by two free throw attempts.

On the shot clock adjustment: The shot clock will remain the same as when play was interrupted or reset to 20 seconds, whichever is greater, at any time any of the following occurs:

►A personal foul by the defense, which results in no free throws, and the ball is inbounded in the front court.

► Any technical foul assessed against the defense, and the ball is inbounded in the front court.

► The game is stopped for a bleeding player or blood on a uniform and the ball is inbounded in the front court.

The rules committee wants to see if that increases the number of possessions in a game, and therefore scoring.

The NIT starts March 14 and ends March 30 in New York.

It's not the first time the NIT has been used to test an innovation: The 30-shot clock, approved for the 2015-16 season, was tested in the NIT that spring.