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

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UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma put the NCAA on blast.

The 72-year-old coach took umbrage with the NCAA for not consulting the players or coaches before making changes to the tournament’s format. 

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

"I just don't understand some of the decisions that are made about our game when we're trying to grow the god---- game," Auriemma said at a press conference Saturday.

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UConn head coach Geno Auriemma watches a play late in the second half of a Sweet 16 game of the NCAA Tournament against North Carolina in Fort Worth, Texas, March 27, 2026. (LM Otero/AP Photo)

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

Auriemma opened his news conference by listing some of the dismal 3-point shooting numbers from teams 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 lamented the timing and duration of UConn’s shootaround.

"Know what time our shootaround was yesterday?" Auriemma said. "Six twenty (a.m. ET), I think, for half an hour. This morning, I just saw Notre Dame leaving, so they had media this morning. Their practice time is tonight at 5:30. ... You know what time our practice time is? 6:30 tonight."

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