Skip a media timeout in NCAA basketball?

Question

In NCAA basketball, there are media timeouts at the first whistle after the 16:00, 12:00, 8:00 and 4:00 minute marks of each half.

What happens if there is no whistle from the four minute mark until the half-time or final buzzer? It almost happened in this game here:

MISSED 3 PTR by Jones, Johnathon                00:09
REBOUND (OFF) by (TEAM)                         00:09
TIMEOUT MEDIA                                   00:08
GOOD! JUMPER by Waterstradt, Dan                00:06  34-42  V 8
ASSIST by Cushingberry, Blake                   00:06

http://www.ougrizzlies.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2008-2009/mich1220.html

What would have happened if there was no whistle at 0:08?

Answer 1

I am unaware of any game in which this actually happened, but this is my interpretation of the rules:

1. By rule 5, section 13, the media timeouts take place "at the first dead ball" after the 16, 12, 8, and 4-minute marks (or 15, 10, and 5-minute marks, depending on the agreement, but this is rare).

2. By rule 6, section 5:

   The ball shall become dead or remain dead when:
   [...]
   e. Time expires for a half or extra period.

Therefore, if there were no stoppages of play in the last four minutes, there would be a media timeout immediately preceding halftime.

This would be consistent with other timeout rules; it is, in fact, legal to call a timeout during halftime or between the second half and overtime (though two successive timeouts cannot be called during such break periods; see Approved Ruling 161 in the 2012 Case Book).

As a side note, if there were no stoppages in play between the 9:00 and 3:30 mark and a player is fouled in the act of shooting, the 8 minute timeout would occur before the first free throw and the 4 minute timeout would occur at the next dead ball, which is before the second free throw (AR 159).