UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma, widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in the sport's history with 12 national championships, has once again voiced strong criticism of the NCAA's decisions regarding the women's basketball tournament. Speaking at a news conference on Saturday ahead of his team's Elite Eight matchup against Notre Dame, Auriemma expressed frustration over the NCAA's continued use of the two-site regional format, which was introduced in 2023.
Auriemma's concerns focus primarily on how the two-site format affects teams' preparation and the overall quality of the tournament experience. He noted that having eight teams share a single arena significantly reduces the amount of practice time each squad can have on the actual game court. For example, the Huskies were unable to hold their shootaround at Dickies Arena-the venue for the Fort Worth regional-on the day before their game against North Carolina. Instead, their shootaround was scheduled early in the evening for only half an hour, while their practice time on the game day was set late at 6:30 p.m. In contrast, Notre Dame's practice and media sessions were scheduled more favorably, with their team leaving the arena in the morning and practicing at 5:30 p.m.
Auriemma questioned whether the NCAA consults with coaches and players when making these decisions, asking rhetorically, "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?'" He emphasized that the current arrangements are not conducive to growing the women's game, a goal he believes should be paramount.
Duke coach Kara Lawson echoed Auriemma's concerns, specifically advocating for longer shootaround times. Lawson suggested that teams should be allotted a half-hour shootaround the day before the game and a full hour on game day to replicate a normal routine. She said, "Two regionals, I think the arena thing is the thing that's hard. It's not that we're in the same city. It's that we don't get long enough practice or shootaround times in the venue for your most important games of the season."
The NCAA's shift from a four-site to a two-site regional format was intended to enhance the tournament atmosphere by increasing attendance. According to the NCAA, the new structure has delivered the highest attendance figures in tournament history. Lynn Holzman, NCAA vice president for women's basketball, told ESPN that the organization believes the benefits of the format outweigh the drawbacks at this time. The NCAA has committed to using the two-regional system for at least five more seasons.
Despite the NCAA's optimistic view, Auriemma pointed out that attendance at the Fort Worth regional games on Friday, which hosted the Huskies as the No. 1 overall seed, failed to come close to a sellout. The Sacramento regional was similarly not sold out. Auriemma has been a proponent of returning to more regional sites, arguing that spreading teams across additional locations makes the tournament more accessible to fans in different areas.
Auriemma also criticized the NCAA's practice of bringing in brand-new equipment for the regional games, including new baskets and basketballs. He believes this contributes to poor shooting performances, as players must adjust to unfamiliar conditions. Citing statistics from the Sweet 16 games the previous day, he highlighted low three-point shooting numbers from multiple teams.
For example, UConn shot 4-for-20 from three-point range, North Carolina was 4-for-22, Notre Dame 1-for-17, Vanderbilt 5-for-18, UCLA 4-for-16, and Duke 7-for-26. Auriemma said, "I think they bring in new baskets, new basketballs right out of the box. Got people dribbling the ball off their feet.
You got people missing layups all over the place. You bounce the ball and it goes up to the ceiling. There's just no concept of how basketball is played."
While Auriemma admitted he does not have all the answers, he expressed a desire for the NCAA to be more open to feedback and willing to make changes if something isn't working. He feels the governing body does not sufficiently seek or incorporate input from coaches and players, and he urged the NCAA to "give [itself] an out" if the current format proves problematic.
UConn's athletic director David Benedict publicly supported Auriemma's stance, posting on social media that the NCAA "continues to make decisions that clearly don't represent what's best for the student athletes."
Other coaches also weighed in on the debate. UCLA coach Cori Close said she had initially supported the two-regional format but now believes it is time to reassess. She emphasized the need for flexibility and constant evaluation to ensure the tournament structure best serves the women's game. "I think I understand exactly why we did this at the time, but I also think we have to be constantly nimble to go, does this serve our game best now? And is there any small tweaks that would make it run more efficiently?" Close said, acknowledging the challenge in finding the right balance.
Players from the teams competing in the tournament also shared their perspectives. UConn senior guard Azzi Fudd acknowledged the format's imperfections but stressed that they are not excuses for poor performance. "I would just say it's not ideal. The schedule, waking up early to do media and then can't come back to this arena until later, just little things like that. But everyone's trying to figure that out right now. Every team is going through that. There's no excuse in that. So we'll figure it out. We're making it work, but it definitely isn't the most ideal setup," Fudd said.
Similarly, UConn junior guard Ashlynn Shade expressed frustration with the limited time to adjust to the new environment. "I did think it was a little frustrating... it's a new gym, new balls, new atmosphere. It is kind of frustrating when you don't get that much time [to get up enough shots on the game court]," Shade added.
Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo also noticed the differences in the equipment, particularly the rims. She recalled the team's poor shooting from beyond the arc in their recent game, saying, "Oh my goodness. We were like 1-for-[17] from 3. We won the game, thank God... The rims were definitely a little tight and new."
Although Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey was present for the news conference, she did not comment on the equipment or format issues. Auriemma believes that many coaches share his frustrations but may be hesitant to speak out. "I think there's a frustration," he said. "Hopefully I'm speaking for the other coaches. Some coaches might think I'm full of it. And this is not about UConn. I hope everybody understands that.... I think there is a level of frustration right now among the coaches that's higher than any time I've ever seen it."
The ongoing debate surrounding the women's basketball tournament format highlights the tension between the NCAA's goals of increasing attendance and creating a better atmosphere, and the practical needs of teams to have adequate preparation time and consistent playing conditions. As the NCAA remains committed to the two-site regional format for the foreseeable future, coaches and players alike continue to advocate for adjustments that would better support the competitive integrity and growth of the women's game.
Contributors to this report include ESPN's Kendra Andrews and Charlotte Gibson.