Lindsay Gottlieb puts NCAA Tournament Selection Committee on blast for USC being fourth of No. 1 seeds

USC earned their second consecutive selection as a No. 1 seed this weekend in the Spokane Regional. That said, Lindsay Gottlieb just does not understand how the Trojans are the fourth of those No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

While speaking to the media on Selection Sunday, Gottlieb clearly had irritation to an extent by being the No. 4 overall seed in the bracket. However, she did express thanks to begin with as Southern Cal did accomplish being a top seed with them getting to host this weekend in Los Angeles.

“It’s not lost on us at all that we’ve earned a one seed for the second year in a row,” said Gottlieb. “I think there’s so much gratitude to be playing at home, excitement for what we’re going to do.”

From there, though, Gottlieb herself had a lot of confusion about where and how the Trojans were placed. She didn’t think their field was necessarily beneficial to the resumé that they did have, which led to her surprise of being as annoyed as she may have been with with the selection committee.

“I can’t speak for them. For me, I never thought I’d be a one seed and feel disrespected but I thought the committee – I just, I thought there would be very little chance we would be the number four overall number-one,” said Gottlieb. “And so, you know, we’ve got a big game here on Saturday against UNCG and we’ll handle it accordingly. But, you tell me if you think that bracket that we got should have been the one that it was. I can’t speak for the players. I think they’re excited to play. But this was not on my bingo card to be a little bit, you know, frustrated after being a one seed.”

“It’s not, you know, an arrogance of any kind. I think there’s a lot of really good teams and you’ve got to play the first game in front of you and earn your way from there and that’s what we’ll do. But, sometimes I don’t understand people make decisions in women’s basketball and why they do what they do and certainly, with this committee, I’d love to ask some questions,” said Gottlieb. “I mean, I can go down. Just none of it makes sense to me.”

Gottlieb got back to that point again with much of the same a few minutes later in her presser. She was only trying to be open about it as he was obviously more bothered than she she usually was when talking to them because of that seeding and the general seeding of the field.

“Like I said, sometimes people make decisions they would have to explain, I mean. But, you know, look, our sword is in a great spot, you know. Whatever, whatever’s going to happen is going to happen. Like, I can’t get fined for any of this. I’m just being as honest as I can be,” Gottlieb said. “We’re really excited to play on Saturday at home. I think our team earned a number one seed. I think there’s a lot of fine hairs and things like this. But, look at me. You guys see me normally. I’m not normally this, kind of, agitated.”

“I just, I don’t – I like things that make sense. I don’t like being disrespected…Like, I just don’t understand. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. It also doesn’t make sense down the line,” said Gottlieb. “There’s a lot of good teams. We’re focused on Saturday. Who knows what’s going to happen after that and, you know, if it gets to Regional Finals, we can maybe ask these questions again but.”

Of her issues with the seeding, Gottlieb mainly focused on the four seeds as No. 1s in UCLA, South Carolina, Texas, and USC. She also added an additional point that involved those in the Big Ten and SEC.

“How UCLA is No. 1 overall, as they should be, and we beat them twice. So then South Carolina is No. 2 but then how does Texas become No. 3 and we become No. 4. I just need someone to explain it,” said Gottlieb. “Maryland got the four seed over, let’s say, Ole Miss and the Big Ten-SEC thing? So, how, just – just, it doesn’t make sense to me.”

‘SC is where they are now with this selection meaning two games in LA and in the Spokane Regional being their path to the Final Four. They’ll now make the most of that as still a top seed in this postseason’s bracket.

“That being said, we’re super excited to be playing at home. We have some really good teams coming here to Galen. That’ll be exciting and, every game, you’ve got to take one game at a time,” said Gottlieb. “If there’s a little extra motivation for a team that’s already a one seed, we’re going to have it.