UConn coach Geno Auriemma criticized Women's March Madness scheduling on Saturday, laying into the NCAA basketball tournament's organizers after the Huskies' 63-42 Sweet 16 win over UNC.
The legendary manager complained about poor 3-point shooting across all Friday games, citing specific statistics to reporters.
"4-for-20, 4-for-22, 1-for-17, 5-for-18, 4-for-16, 7-for-26. That's the 3-point shooting across the country," Auriemma said.
The numbers included Sweet 16 contenders UConn, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, UCLA, and Duke — teams that normally shoot over 30% from three.
Auriemma then targeted the NCAA basketball tournament's practice and media scheduling. UConn held a shoot-around at approximately 6 AM the previous day. They subsequently conducted Women's March Madness media availability, before starting practice at 6:30 PM later that day. Notre Dame faced similar circumstances with a 5:30 PM practice.
"What did you have to ask them this morning that you didn't ask them last night?" Auriemma asked reporters.
"You know what time our practice time is? 6:30 tonight. So we had to get our kids up, come over here — you already knew who we were playing last night. But we can't get on the court, and neither can the others."
The defending NCAA champion manager went on to question why teams lack input on Women's March Madness scheduling decisions.
"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?'" he said.
He also criticized regional placement and quality concerns. "There's just no concept of how the game is played," Auriemma said of the NCAA's organizing committee.
"What are we doing here about how the tournament's games' quality should measure up to the tournament's sold-out crowds, and the NCAA not putting tournament regional play in the northeast where UConn is located?" he continued.
UConn is chasing its NCAA-record 13th national title, with the championship game taking place April 5th in Phoenix.
