UConn's Geno Auriemma unloads on NCAA over tournament format: 'I just don't understand'

UConn women’s hoops caput manager Geno Auriemma enactment the NCAA connected blast.

The 72-year-old manager took umbrage with the NCAA for not consulting the players oregon coaches earlier making changes to the tournament’s format. 

The NCAA shifted from a four-site determination to a two-site determination successful 2023, which Auriemma said has created issues for shootaround times and prime of play.

"I conscionable don't recognize immoderate of the decisions that are made astir our crippled erstwhile we're trying to turn the god---- game," Auriemma said astatine a property league Saturday.

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UConn caput manager Geno Auriemma watches a play precocious successful the 2nd fractional of a Sweet 16 crippled of the NCAA Tournament against North Carolina successful Fort Worth, Texas, March 27, 2026. (LM Otero/AP Photo)

"Does anybody who makes these decisions ever inquire the coaches and the players, 'Hey, does this work? Do you guys bash this during the regular season? Is this normal?'"

Auriemma opened his quality league by listing immoderate of the dismal 3-point shooting numbers from teams successful Friday’s Sweet 16 games: 4 for 20 (UConn), 4 for 22 (North Carolina), 1 for 17 (Notre Dame), 5 for 18 (Vanderbilt), 4 for 16 (UCLA) and 7 for 26 (Duke).

The legendary manager lamented the timing and duration of UConn’s shootaround.

"Know what clip our shootaround was yesterday?" Auriemma said. "Six 20 (a.m. ET), I think, for fractional an hour. This morning, I conscionable saw Notre Dame leaving, truthful they had media this morning. Their signifier clip is contiguous astatine 5:30. ... You cognize what clip our signifier clip is? 6:30 tonight."

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UConn caput manager Geno Auriemma reacts to a play during the archetypal fractional of a Sweet 16 crippled of the NCAA Tournament against North Carolina successful Fort Worth, Texas, connected March 27, 2026. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)

With 8 teams sharing an arena, determination is little signifier clip to spell astir for each team. Auriemma besides suggested the instrumentality being utilized is causing a alteration successful the prime of play.

"I deliberation they bring successful caller baskets, caller basketballs close retired of the box," Auriemma said.

"Got radical dribbling the shot disconnected their feet. You got radical missing layups each implicit the place. You bounce the ball, and it goes up to the ceiling. There's conscionable nary conception of however hoops is played."

The 12-time nationalist championship-winning caput manager said possibly the teams had a atrocious shooting day, but each of their shooting numbers were good beneath what their averages were passim the season.

"How galore arenas are we going to merchantability retired with that bulls---?" Auriemma said.

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UConn caput manager Geno Auriemma reacts to a play during the archetypal fractional of a Sweet 16 crippled of the NCAA Tournament against North Carolina successful Fort Worth, Texas, March 27, 2026. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)

The NCAA’s volition of switching to a two-regional format was to thrust attendance, and it told ESPN it has drawn the highest numbers successful tourney past since implemented. Lynn Holzman, the NCAA’s vice president for women’s basketball, told ESPN the positives outweigh the negatives.

Auriemma said helium does not person immoderate answers for the close solution, conscionable questions.

The esteemed caput manager volition look to pb his top-seeded, undefeated squad (37-0) to a triumph successful the Elite 8 against No. 6 Notre Dame Sunday astatine 1 p.m. ET.

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