Syracuse coach Felisha Legette-Jack blasted the NCAA women's basketball committee on Monday, after repeatedly placing the Orange in the same Women's March Madness bracket as UConn women's basketball.
"After being in this business for 37 years, and to have to come and be in this particular bracket every freaking year is unacceptable," Legette-Jack said following Syracuse's 98-45 second-round loss to the Huskies. "It's wrong."
The Orange met UConn women's basketball in the NCAA tournament for the second time under Legette-Jack on Monday. Overall, Syracuse has drawn the Huskies in five of the program's past seven appearances, with three of those games taking place on UConn's home court.
Legette-Jack's former Buffalo team also fell to the Huskies in the second round in 2019.
"Put us on a 10-line, whatever," Legette-Jack continued. "But for us to continue to come to Connecticut year after year after year is, to me, it's a personal attack, because I just think that we are way better than what we performed today."
The NCAA committee generally sets up matches by proximity to maximize fan accessibility. On Selection Sunday, the committee drew Princeton as the 34th overall seed and Syracuse as 36th — both within driving distance of Storrs.
"This team right here had a strong chance of getting beyond this particular level," Legette-Jack said. "I am hoping that I'm not disrespecting anyone."
Syracuse trailed the defending champions 65-12 at halftime on Monday. The 53-point defeat marking the worst NCAA tournament loss in school history. The Orange finished the season on a 24-9 record, returning to Women's March Madness for the second straight year.
"We were pretty locked in together," UConn women's basketball coach Auriemma said postgame. "That's the best half of basketball, best 20 minutes, that I've seen in a long, long time from our team."
How to Watch UConn Women's Basketball at the Sweet 16
The Huskies are moving on to the Sweet 16, tipping off against No. 4 seed UNC on Friday at 5 PM ET, live on ESPN.
Felisha Legette-Jack has been named as the new Syracuse women’s basketball coach, with the school announcing the news on Saturday.
A 1989 graduate of Syracuse and former player, Legette-Jack, will return to the school as the seventh head coach in program history.
Legette-Jack comes to Syracuse by way of Buffalo, where she coached for ten seasons, posting five 20-win campaigns. Buffalo ended the 2021-2022 season with a 25-9 record and were 14-1 at home. Legette-Jack has also led programs at Indiana and Hofstra.
🍊 She's coming home 🍊 pic.twitter.com/SOgPCZvVMk
— 'Cuse Hoops (@CuseWBB) March 26, 2022
“I’m coming home! These words bring me great joy,” Legette-Jack said in a statement. “I thank Chancellor Syverud and Director of Athletics John Wildhack for this amazing opportunity. It is a privilege and an honor to accept this position as your next head women’s basketball coach. The love that I have for our city, our University, and our Athletics Department cannot be measured.”
Legette-Jack replaces Vonn Read, who served as acting head coach for the 2021-2022 season after Quentin Hillsman’s resignation.
“We are thrilled to have Coach Legette-Jack lead our Women’s Basketball program,” said Wildhack. “She is a builder of programs, evidenced by the success she had at the University at Buffalo. She is totally committed to the full development of every student-athlete and staff member who is part of her program. On behalf of Syracuse Athletics, all our alumni and fans around the globe, we welcome Coach Legette-Jack and her family back to Syracuse University and Central New York.”