UConn’s Geno Auriemma blasts NCAA on tournament format: ‘Just don’t understand’
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UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma blasted the NCAA.
The 72-year-old coach was upset with the NCAA for not consulting with players or coaches before making changes to the tournament’s format.
The NCAA moved from a four-region to a two-region in 2023, and Auriemma said that creates problems in terms of shooting times and quality of play.
“I don’t understand some of the decisions that are being made about our game as God is trying to improve his game,” Auriemma said at a press conference on Saturday.
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UConn head coach Geno Auriemma watches a play late in the second half of the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game against North Carolina on March 27, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (LM Otero/AP Photo)
“Anyone making these decisions is asking coaches and players, ‘Hey, is this working? Are you guys doing this in the regular season? Is this normal?’ “Does he ask?”
Auriemma opened the press conference by listing some of the teams’ dismal 3-point shooting numbers in 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 coach bemoaned the timing and duration of UConn’s shots.
“Do you know what time our shooting was yesterday?” said Auriemma. “Six twenty (ET), I think, for half an hour. This morning, I saw Notre Dame leaving, so there was media this morning. Their practice time is 5:30 tonight. … Do you know what our practice time is? 6:30 tonight.”
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UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts to a play during the first half of the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game against North Carolina on March 27, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)
Because eight teams share an arena, each team takes less time to practice. Auriemma also suggested that the equipment used caused the quality of play to decrease.
“I think they’re bringing in new baskets, new basketballs right out of the box,” Auriemma said.
“There are people dribbling the ball from their feet. There are people missing layups everywhere. You bounce the ball and it goes to the ceiling. There is no concept of how basketball is played.”
The coach, who won the national championship 12 times, said that the teams may have had a bad day in terms of shooting, but all shooting numbers were well below their season averages.
“How many arenas are we going to sell out with these bulls?” said Auriemma.
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UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts to a play during the first half of the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game against North Carolina on March 27, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)
The NCAA’s intention to move to a two-district format was to increase participation, and he told ESPN Since its implementation, it has achieved the highest numbers in the history of the tournament. Lynn Holzman, the NCAA’s executive vice president of women’s basketball, told ESPN that the positives outweigh the negatives.
Auriemma said he doesn’t have any answers to the right solution, just questions.
The esteemed head coach will look to lead his top-seeded, undefeated squad (37-0) to victory in the Elite 8 against No. 6 Notre Dame on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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