Geno Auriemma Voices Concerns Over NCAA Tournament Changes

Geno Auriemma is expressing his dissatisfaction with some recent adjustments in the women’s NCAA Tournament.

At a press conference on Friday, the prominent college women’s coach criticized the new regional formats for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, which have shifted from a four-site to a two-site arrangement in 2023.

Interestingly, the men’s tournament has maintained the traditional four-site format.

Auriemma also brought up the introduction of new basketballs and rims for the tournament. “Have you noticed we’re using brand-new baskets at regionals?” he remarked after his team’s victory over North Carolina State in the Sweet 16. “These rims haven’t been touched by a basketball yet.”

He argued in a Saturday media interview that there might be a connection between this unused equipment and lower shooting percentages—quite different from his team’s performance during Friday’s game.

“Let me share some statistics,” Auriemma stated. “Take note of this. 4-of-20, 4-of-22, 1-of-17, 5-of-18, 4-of-16, 7-of-26—those are three-point shooting numbers from across the country yesterday. How many arenas would people’s interest sustain with those kinds of stats?”

He continued, “Now, maybe it was just an off day for shooting. The average scoring for teams this season is probably above 30 points.”

Auriemma also pointed out the challenges faced by players and coaches with eight teams in one venue, complicating shootarounds, media engagements, and practices.

He raised concerns about attendance figures as well, suggesting that more fans could be drawn in if there were four venues in use instead of two. “Yesterday, we had 18,000 people across both venues,” he noted. “If we had four regions, each with at least 5,000 attendees, that could mean around 20,000 fans. So what’s the strategy here?”

“Honestly, I don’t fully grasp some of the decisions made regarding our sport as we strive to expand its reach,” he added. “But I am looking forward to our matchup with Notre Dame, as they’re really performing well.”

Wrapping up his extended critique, Auriemma reiterated his confusion about the new rims and balls, saying he cannot understand how this impacts gameplay. “You want to know why shooting percentages are so low? I think I might have an idea,” he said. “They’ve introduced new baskets and basketballs straight from the packaging. Players were dribbling and missing layups all over the court.”

“When you bounce the ball, it practically shoots up to the ceiling. I’m not claiming to have all the answers; I just have a lot of questions.”

The Huskies are set to play against Notre Dame in the Elite Eight on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.