Criticism Surfaces Regarding Structure of Women's March Madness Basketball Tournament
Tournament Chaos in Women's College Basketball
The ladies are shaking things up on the court with unexpected blowouts and nail-biting upsets left and right. But before the big games, some top coaches voiced their discontent with the tournament seeding.
After the Selection show on Sunday, UCLA earned the overall No. 1 seed, securing a spot in the Spokane regional, making commuting a breeze for them. South Carolina snagged another No. 1 seed in the Birmingham regional, and the University of Southern California took the last No. 1 seed in Spokane.
Coaches Speak Out
When questioned about the seeding, South Carolina's Dawn Staley criticized the committee for not awarding the overall No. 1 based on the Gamecocks challenging schedule. South Carolina played a whopping 19 quad one opponents, managing a impressive 16-3 record. Staley believed her team deserved more recognition for this achievement.
Lindsay Gottlieb, USC's head coach, expressed her disappointment more loudly. "I never thought I'd be a one seed and feel so disrespected," she said. Gottlieb's frustration seems to stem from her regional path, which might lead to clashes with UConn as the No. 2 seed and an Elite Eight matchup to make it to the Final Four in Tampa.
UConn's Geno Auriemma also joined the chorus of vocal coaches, echoing Staley's sentiments about the challenging schedule and how it influenced seeding.
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Auriemmo's Podcast Rants
During a recent podcast on Good Game with Sarah Spain, Auriemmo pointed out some structural issues in the women's tournament that need addressing. He highlighted travel disruptions caused by the Spokane regional—which involves crossing three time zones—and the lack of east coast fans for teams playing on the west coast. Auriemmo also noted that women's teams, when they reach the Elite Eight and Final Four, are given less rest between games than their male counterparts.
Last year, the Spokane regional raised eyebrows due to limited hotel space, causing many teams to stay across the Idaho border in Coeur d'Alene. This city has a troubling history of racial harassment, as the University of Utah experienced during their regional games. It remains to be seen if the NCAA has made changes to improve these issues and prioritize player safety this year, despite the Spokane regional being held again.
To catch updates on the Women's March Madness Spokane regional starting next week, catch me on Twitter.
- South Carolina's Dawn Staley expressed her dissatisfaction with the NCAA tournament seeding, criticizing the committee for not considering the Gamecocks' challenging schedule that included playing 19 quad one opponents.
- Lindsay Gottlieb, USC's head coach, voiced her disappointment more explicitly, suggesting she felt disrespected due to her team being a No. 1 seed yet potentially facing challenging matchups such as UConn in the Elite Eight.
- UConn's Geno Auriemma also spoke out about the seeding, giving voice to Staley's opinions about the impact of difficult schedules on seeding and mentioning travel challenges and rest periods in the women's tournament.
