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UConn women’s basketball caput coach Geno Auriemma put nan NCAA connected blast.
The 72-year-old coach took umbrage pinch nan NCAA for not consulting nan players aliases coaches earlier making changes to nan tournament’s format.
The NCAA shifted from a four-site location to a two-site location successful 2023, which Auriemma said has created issues for shootaround times and value of play.
"I conscionable don't understand immoderate of nan decisions that are made astir our crippled erstwhile we're trying to turn nan god---- game," Auriemma said astatine a property convention Saturday.
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UConn caput coach Geno Auriemma watches a play precocious successful nan 2nd half of a Sweet 16 crippled of nan NCAA Tournament against North Carolina successful Fort Worth, Texas, March 27, 2026. (LM Otero/AP Photo)
"Does anybody who makes these decisions ever inquire nan coaches and nan players, 'Hey, does this work? Do you guys do this during nan regular season? Is this normal?'"
Auriemma opened his news convention by listing immoderate of nan 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 coach lamented nan timing and long of UConn’s shootaround.
"Know what clip our shootaround was yesterday?" Auriemma said. "Six 20 (a.m. ET), I think, for half an hour. This morning, I conscionable saw Notre Dame leaving, truthful they had media this morning. Their believe clip is coming astatine 5:30. ... You cognize what clip our believe clip is? 6:30 tonight."
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UConn caput coach Geno Auriemma reacts to a play during nan first half of a Sweet 16 crippled of nan NCAA Tournament against North Carolina successful Fort Worth, Texas, connected March 27, 2026. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)
With 8 teams sharing an arena, location is little believe clip to spell astir for each team. Auriemma besides suggested nan instrumentality being utilized is causing a alteration successful nan value of play.
"I deliberation they bring successful caller baskets, caller basketballs correct retired of nan box," Auriemma said.
"Got group dribbling nan shot disconnected their feet. You sewage group missing layups each complete nan place. You bounce nan ball, and it goes up to nan ceiling. There's conscionable nary conception of really hoops is played."
The 12-time nationalist championship-winning caput coach said possibly nan teams had a bad shooting day, but each of their shooting numbers were good beneath what their averages were passim nan season.
"How galore arenas are we going to waste retired pinch that bulls---?" Auriemma said.
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UConn caput coach Geno Auriemma reacts to a play during nan first half of a Sweet 16 crippled of nan 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 nan highest numbers successful tourney history since implemented. Lynn Holzman, nan NCAA’s vice president for women’s basketball, told ESPN nan positives outweigh nan negatives.
Auriemma said he does not person immoderate answers for nan correct solution, conscionable questions.
The esteemed caput coach will look to lead his top-seeded, undefeated squad (37-0) to a triumph successful nan Elite 8 against No. 6 Notre Dame Sunday astatine 1 p.m. ET.
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Ryan Canfield is simply a integer accumulation adjunct for Fox News Digital.
