Syracuse WCBB HC Rips NCAA Tournament Committee For Being in UConn's Bracket 'Every Freaking Year'

Syracuse coach Felisha Legette-Jack is tired of crossing paths with UConn in the NCAA women's basketball tournament.

"After being in this business for 37 years, and to have to come and be in this particular bracket every freaking year is unacceptable. It's wrong," she told reporters after the Orange's 98-45 loss to the Huskies on Monday. "Put us on a 10-line, whatever. 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."

Syracuse encountered a buzz saw in Storrs. UConn led 65-12 at the half, with star guard Azzi Fudd scoring 26 points through the first two quarters. The unbeaten Huskies are the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, but nobody expected that kind of blowout.

While Legette-Jack was exaggerating for effect, her remarks hit on what might be an increasingly outdated approach to the women's tournament from the NCAA.

Some might have issues with higher seeds hosting games in the first and second round, but there's at least a competitive aspect to that. Playing on your home court is a reward for your success in the regular season.

However, the selection committee also takes into account "geographic and venue considerations" with seeding.

"Teams are placed as close to home as possible to maximize fan accessibility," the organization lays out. "For regional competition, a team cannot play in an arena where it has played more than three games in a season."

The men's tournament utilizes a similar formula, but the women's tourney has often leaned more so on the regional factor through the years. Having games in home arenas and trying to keep schools within their geographic areas was a way to boost ticket sales for a sport struggling to gain national relevancy.

For Syracuse, that often meant its road to the Final Four went through UConn.

Prior to Monday, the Orange's season ended at the Huskies' hands in the second round in 2017, 2021 and 2024. They also squared off in the 2016 national championship.

As the head coach at Buffalo, Legette-Jack crossed paths with UConn in the 2019 tournament as well.

With all of that context in mind, her frustration is more understandable.