"You're gonna get screw ups all the time": Geno Auriemma on taking a different approach than Dawn Staley, Lindsay Gottlieb to criticize NCAA

Geno Auriemma, UConn’s legendary head coach, didn’t hold back on the NCAA women’s basketball committee and its tournament procedures.

Unlike Dawn Staley and Lindsay Gottlieb, who recently expressed frustration with their teams' bracket seedings, Auriemma’s critique went deeper. He argued that the committee lacks enough “basketball people” who understand the sport’s nuances, calling out the process itself rather than just the outcomes.

This week, speaking on Good Game with Sarah Spain, Auriemma criticized the committee for having “a lot of problems” in how they handle decisions, claiming it leads to frequent “screw-ups.”

“First things first, there's a lot of there's a lot of problems with the way the NCAA women's basketball committee does things,” Auriemma said.

“There's not enough basketball people on that committee that actually know this is how we do it. So, you're going to get screw-ups all the time.”

According to Auriemma, the gap between the top seeds in this year’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament is razor-thin. With the top four seeds having beaten each other, he argued there’s little difference in strength between a No. 1 and a No. 2, 3 or even 4 seed.

Auriemma pointed out that this balance “screws it up for the two seeds.” With no clear dominance among the top teams, a No. 2 seed could face a powerhouse earlier in the tournament, creating tougher matchups before the Final Four.

Lindsay Gottlieb and Dawn Staley’s frustrations over their teams’ seeding

Lindsay Gottlieb during the first quarter of an NCAA Tournament - Source: Imagn

Lindsay Gottlieb and Dawn Staley didn’t hold back their frustrations over their teams’ seeding in the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.

Gottlieb’s USC Trojans secured a No. 1 seed for the second year in a row but were ranked as the fourth overall No. 1 seed - a decision she called “disrespectful.”

“For me I never thought I’d be a one seed and feel disrespected,” she said, surprised by the committee’s choice given her team’s stellar season.

Staley was equally disappointed. Despite a grueling schedule and impressive wins, her Gamecocks landed the No. 2 overall seed.

"I mean we're going to play it... obviously it's disappointing," Staley said, according to SI.

Dawn Staley pointed out that her team faced 19 Quad One opponents, finishing with a 16-3 record, and believed their performance warranted a higher spot.