Geno Auriemma takes aim at NCAA over March Madness double regionals
AP News • • sports
Key Points:
- UConn coach Geno Auriemma criticized the women’s NCAA Tournament double-regional format, citing issues with attendance, poor shooting percentages, and inconvenient scheduling for teams on the same day.
- Auriemma questioned the rationale behind reducing regional sites from four to two, expressing frustration over the lack of input from coaches and players in the decision-making process.
- Players and other coaches, including UCLA’s Cori Close and Duke’s Kara Lawson, echoed concerns about limited practice time on game courts and the overall setup impacting performance and athlete well-being.
- Auriemma also highlighted problems with new rims and basketballs used in the tournament, suggesting these changes negatively affect shooting and gameplay.
- Despite the criticisms, Auriemma emphasized that his concerns are not about UConn specifically but reflect broader frustrations among coaches with the current tournament format.
