UND Cruises Through NCAA Tournament with Extra Rest

The NCAA's media timeouts provide more breaks for teams during tournament games.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 9:49am

A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the dynamic action on the ice.The NCAA tournament's strategic media timeouts allow teams to better manage player fatigue and energy levels during high-intensity games.Sioux Falls Today

The University of North Dakota (UND) hockey team had an easier time managing their energy levels during their NCAA tournament game against Merrimack on Thursday, thanks to the three 90-second media timeouts per period that are built into the tournament format. UND head coach Brad Berry noted that his team was able to effectively rotate all four of their lines, taking advantage of the additional rest periods.

Why it matters

The extra rest provided by the NCAA tournament's media timeouts can be a significant advantage for teams, allowing them to better manage fatigue and keep their players fresh throughout the high-intensity games. This could prove crucial as teams advance deeper into the tournament.

The details

The NCAA tournament features three 90-second media timeouts per period, which begin at the first stoppage after the 15, 10, and 5-minute marks. UND head coach Brad Berry said his team was able to effectively utilize these extra rest periods, rotating all four of their lines to keep his players energized throughout the game against Merrimack.

  • The NCAA tournament media timeouts occur at the first stoppage after the 15, 10, and 5-minute marks of each period.

The players

Brad Berry

The head coach of the University of North Dakota (UND) hockey team.

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What they’re saying

“All four lines were playing well for us, so we kind of rolled lines,”

— Brad Berry, Head Coach

The takeaway

The NCAA tournament's media timeouts provide a strategic advantage for teams, allowing them to better manage player fatigue and keep their rosters fresh throughout the high-intensity games. This could prove to be a key factor as teams advance deeper into the tournament.