Geno supports tourney proposal for single location
As far as Geno Auriemma is concerned, it was only a matter of time.
The NCAA announced Monday it plans to play the entire 2021 Division I women’s basketball tournament in one location and has begun preliminary talks with San Antonio and the surrounding region to serve as the host site.
“There really didn’t seem to be any alternatives,” the UConn coach said during a Zoom call with the media Monday. “Trying to get 64 teams from all over the country to fly to [different sites] and deal with all the different protocols that are involved everywhere, it just made more sense I’m sure to bring everybody to Texas.”
The move was made to mitigate the risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and follows that of
the men’s tournament, which is expected to be held in the Indianapolis metro area.
“I’m sure it’ll include more than just San Antonio if you’ve got 64 teams,” Auriemma continued. “But obviously at least it gives us some guidance and some idea of what the tournament is going to look like.”
San Antonio already had been selected as the site for this season’s Final Four and national championship game (April 2-4, 2021). The NCAA expects the tournament to remain in March and April, though that could change depending on the trajectory of the coronavirus.
UConn won national championships in San Antonio in 2002 and 2010, finishing 39-0 both years.
Traditionally, the first two rounds of the tournament are played on campus sites. Albany, N.Y., Austin, Texas, Cincinnati, and Spokane, Wash., were supposed to host regionals this year.
“I can’t imagine one place being able to handle 64 teams,” Auriemma said. “So obviously there’s going to be the proverbial San Antonio region. I just like to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to Texas.’ That’s where the NCAA tournament’s going to be held. What the format’s going to be, I don’t know.”
Regarding that, the NCAA said condensing the time frame of the tournament is a possibility.
“I think for the health and safety of the players, you’re going to have to take a look at all these things,” Auriemma said. “How many games do you want to play in one week when you’re talking about the biggest games you’re going to be playing in a year?”
GENO ON STANFORD’S VANDERVEER: “TEST OF TIME”
Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer tied Tennessee great Pat Summitt as the winningest coach in NCAA Division I women’s basket
ball history Sunday in a victory over rival California.
VanDerveer, 67, now has 1,098 career wins. On the men’s side, only Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, with 1,157, has more.
She can pass Summitt on Tuesday when the topranked Cardinals hosts Pacific.
Auriemma, who is next in line with 1,092 wins, talked last week about the trajectory of his and VanDerveer’s careers, noting that they both started at their respective schools the same season, 1985-86.
“She was at Ohio State, and I was an assistant at Virginia. Nancy Darsch, who we just lost, a great person and a great coach, was an assistant coach at Tennessee,” Auriemma said. “Nancy Darsch was one of the finalists for the Connecticut job. One thing led to another, I got the job at Connecticut, she got the job at Ohio State replacing Tara VanDerveer.”
And VanDerveer, of course, ultimately landed at Stanford, taking over for Dotty McCrea.
“I remember thinking, man, I wish I could trade places with Nancy,” Auriemma said. “I wish I could go to Ohio State and Nancy could be the coach at Connecticut.”
VanDerveer has established herself as a coaching legend. She’s in her 35th season — she took a leave
of absence in 1995-96 to coach the U.S. National team — and has led Stanford to two national championships (1990, 1992), 12 Final Fours and 22 Pac-12 regular-season titles.
And Auriemma’s built one of college sports’ most iconic programs, winning a record 11 NCAA titles.
“It’s funny that you look back at how long ago that was, and I’m still here since 1985 and Tara’s still at Stanford all this time. Does that have something to do with it, the stability, the being in one place for such a long time, for Pat to be in one place for such a long time?” Auriemma said. “Tara being at a great school, a place that really values women’s athletics and women’s basketball, she’s (stood) the test of time.
“Ultimately, that’s what kind of seals your legacy — time. That’s a lot of games to coach, much less win.”
BUECKERS HONORED
UConn’s Paige Bueckers was named Big East Freshman of the Week Monday following her performance in the Huskies’ seasonopener. Bueckers, the reigning national high school player of the year, collected 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists and five steals in a 79-23 victory over UMass Lowell on Saturday.