Editor's note: The Kansan gathered and explained some key terms in preparation for the NCAA tournament.

Basketball has a language all its own. To better help you understand what’s happening on the court and in the stories, here’s a quick breakdown of some often-used and misunderstood terms:

The Lane

The lane, also called the paint, is the (usually) colored rectangle extending from the out-of-bounds line under the basket to the free throw line, which is 15 feet from the backboard. The small lines extending from each side of the lane mark where players are supposed to line up during free throws. It is also illegal for an offensive player to be in the lane for more than three seconds at a time; when that does happen, a three-second violation is called.

Goaltending

Goaltending can often be difficult to differentiate from a blocked shot. The easiest way to understand the rule is that a block is when a defender swats away a shot as it is on its way up toward the basket. If the ball starts downward on its arc to the basket and it is interfered with, it is goaltending. Goaltending can also be called if someone knocks away a shot after it has hit the backboard or is bouncing on the rim. This call is usually made on the defense, but it can occur on offense as well (such as when a player's shot is tipped in by a teammate while it is still resting on the rim).

Screen

Screens, or picks, are legal and used by offenses to separate a player from his defender. Screens usually involve a player standing his ground near a teammate's defender. The teammate then runs near the screen and causes the defender to run into it, effectively "screening" the defender from following the offensive player. It is important that the person setting the screen is not moving at the point of contact with the defender. If this player is moving his feet in any way, a "moving screen" is called and the ball is turned over.

Double-double

A double-double is when a player has double-digit totals in two different statistical categories. For example, if Cole Aldrich were to have 20 points and 10 rebounds, he would have a double-double. There are also triple- and (the very rare) quadruple-doubles, in which a player has double-digit totals in three and four statistical categories, respectively. The categories most often used when considering these are points, rebounds, blocks, and/or steals.

And-one

When a player is fouled in the act of shooting and still makes the basket, he gets the points from the shot and one extra free throw. This is called an "and-one," referring to the extra one free throw a player gets after converting while being fouled.

Three-Pointers

The three-point line was established in American basketball in 1980. The shot awards a shooter three points behind a designated arc, and besides the dunk it has the most colorful language in basketball._

Examples: Three-pointer, 3-pointer, three-point line, arc or arch, downtown, distance, insert nearest big city; ex. He hit that one from Topeka.

Fade-Away

This one is exactly like it sounds. The shooter fades (or falls) away from the basket while shooting. He does this in order to create more space between himself and the defender, who is likely guarding him closely with a hand in his face. Fade-aways arc much higher than an average shot.

Post Up

The center is known as a lot of things (terms like a “big” or “5”) but one of the most common is a “post player.” This name derives from the act of posting up, which takes place around the lane. Against man-to-man defense, the center will most likely go close to the basket and put his back into his defender, facing the opposite basket. The idea is to create a post-like position, where the center is planted close to the basket so the point guard can get him a shot close to the basket.

Box Out

One of the most intriguing battles going on every play is the box outs around the basket. When a shot goes up, the defenders push their bodies into their offensive counterparts in an effort to rebound the ball. Likewise, the offense is trying to get around their defenders to snatch the rebound. The result is a shoving and pushing match on every play that often determines the winner of the game.

Bracketology

ESPN.com college basketball writer Joe Lunardi invented the term “bracketology” as a description of his job, which is to predict the field of 65 teams in the NCAA tournament. Lunardi, a bracketologist, is one of countless online writers who now predict the tournament, including in which cities the teams will play, based on records, rpi and strength of schedule.