March Madness: UConn’s Geno Auriemma complains about tourney system

Geno Auriemma took a swipe at the NCAA Tournament system as he prepped the UConn Huskies for their Sweet 16 game against the Oklahoma Sooners.

The women’s basketball tournament moved to two regional sites in 2023, meaning this season the regional semifinals and finals will take place in either Birmingham, Alabama, or Spokane, Washington.

Eight teams are crammed into each regional site.

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UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma watches from the sideline as they take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn., March 24, 2025. (David Butler II/Imagn Images)

The Women’s Final Four culminates in Tampa, Florida, next month.

Auriemma expressed his disdain for the two regionals during a news conference, saying “it ruined the game.”

“Half the country has no chance to get to a game in person. But you’re making billions off of TV. Well, actually, you’re not. That would be the men’s tournament,” he said, via ESPN. “So, yeah, there’s a lot of issues that they need to fix. And, again, we could get our a– beat tomorrow and that won’t change my feelings.”

Auriemma added that “in a normal world, run by normal people, there would only be four teams here.”

“There’s a lot of people in the women’s basketball community that think they’re smarter than [how they run things in men’s basketball].”

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Auriemma pointed to the team’s travel schedule.

UConn guard Paige Bueckers, center, drives to the basket as South Dakota State guard Madison Mathiowetz, left, defends during the second half of a second-round game in the NCAA Tournament March 24, 2025, in Storrs, Conn.  (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

The Huskies wrapped up their home schedule at the Gampel Pavilion Monday in Storrs, Connecticut. The team then had to fly to Spokane, Washington, for the next round of the tournament. If the team wins out in the Spokane regional, it flies to Tampa.

Because of the number of teams, Auriemma said his team will have to wake up at 5 a.m. local time for a half-hour shootaround at 7:30 p.m.

Auriemma’s squad has been accustomed to strange travel situations.

Last year, the team went from playing games in Storrs to playing in the Portland, Oregon, regional, and then the Women’s Final Four in Cleveland. In 2023, the team went from Storrs to Seattle before losing in the regional semifinals.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma gestures during the second half against South Dakota State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Monday, March 24, 2025, in Storrs, Conn.  (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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UConn is the No. 2 seed in this tournament, and Oklahoma is the No. 3 seed. The teams tip off Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET.

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