South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said she has spoken with UConn coach Geno Auriemma after the two had a heated exchange at the women’s Final Four on Friday. Staley, whose Gamecocks beat Auriemma and UConn before losing to UCLA in Sunday’s title game, is urging everyone to move on.
Staley released a statement on Tuesday saying the focus moving forward should be on growing women’s basketball. She added she has a “great deal of respect” for Auriemma.
“With the college women’s basketball season behind us, it’s time to move forward and close the chapter on how our semifinal game with UConn ended,” Staley wrote. “I spoke with Geno, and I want to be clear — I have a great deal of respect for him and what he’s meant to this game. One moment doesn’t define a career, and it doesn’t change the impact he’s had on growing women’s basketball. The standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that’s something this game has benefited from.
“So, I’m asking everyone to turn the page. Let’s refocus on what matters most — continuing to elevate our game, creating opportunities and pushing it forward. That’s always been my mission, and it’s not changing.”
Later Tuesday, Auriemma released a statement of his own, saying he apologized to Staley and her team and emphasizing that “women’s basketball deserved better” than what was on display Friday night in Phoenix.
“I apologized to Dawn, her staff and her team. I’ve lost more games in the Final Four than any coach in history. But Friday I lost something more important. I lost myself,” Auriemma said. “Those who know me know I have nothing but respect and admiration for the game and the coaches who coach it. Dawn and her team deserved to win, and they deserved better from me. Women’s basketball deserved better. My university, my athletes, my former players and our fans deserved better.”
Auriemma reiterated Staley’s message of turning the page to shift the focus “back to the growth in women’s basketball.”
“The game deserves it,” Auriemma said.
Auriemma got into it with Staley in the waning seconds of South Carolina’s 62-48 win over the Huskies. His issues appeared to stem from Staley not shaking his hand right before tip-off. The two did share a separate pregame handshake.
Tensions were high at the buzzer, and a video captured Staley saying she would “beat Geno’s ass.” After the incident, Auriemma headed to the locker room instead of participating in the handshake line when the game ended. The UConn coach released an initial apology on Saturday and said there was no excuse for how he handled the end of the game.
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“The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that,” read part of his statement. “I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them.”
Staley didn’t speak about it much ahead of the Gamecocks’ championship game against UCLA, which they ended up losing 79-51.
Auriemma has won 12 national titles with UConn, while Staley has three championships with the Gamecocks, two of them in the past five years.
They don’t play in the same conference, but it won’t be too long before they meet again. South Carolina and UConn are set to face off again this November at the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. And, who knows, perhaps they’ll cross paths again at the 2027 Final Four.
