What is the purpose of the two small blocks next to the "paint" close to the basket in basketball?

While watching a Uconn women's game, there was a statistic on the tv screen about time "on the block" or something like that, and after a little web-surfing I noticed there are 2 small square blocks drawn right on the lines near the basket, about 3-4 feet away. What are the for? What obscure rules or stats are determined by them?