Dawn Staley gives classy answer after Geno Auriemma question following national title loss: 'It's UCLA's day'

South Carolina caput coach Dawn Staley was disappointed really nan Gamecocks’ play ended connected Sunday day successful Phoenix, a 79-51 nonaccomplishment to nan UCLA Bruins successful nan nationalist title game.

During her post-game interview, Staley was asked astir what happened successful nan Gamecocks’ anterior Final Four matchup against UConn, wherever she and caput coach Geno Auriemma had a tense speech aft South Carolina precocious to nan title crippled for nan 3rd twelvemonth successful a row.

Rather than hash retired much of her thoughts, Staley had a prestigious response.

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Head coach Dawn Staley of nan South Carolina Gamecocks watches during nan first half of nan NCAA women's hoops title crippled against nan UCLA Bruins astatine Mortgage Matchup Center successful Phoenix, Ariz., connected April 5, 2026. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos)

"I don’t want – this is UCLA’s day, right? Let’s support it UCLA, them winning nan nationalist championship," Staley told reporters, via The Athletic. "… We’re not going to damper UCLA’s time pinch it."

Before this nationalist title contest, Staley was spotted having a cordial acquisition greeting UCLA Bruins caput coach Cori Close -- a overmuch different acquisition than really Friday nighttime ended pinch Auriemma.

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After nan Gamecocks defeated nan Huskies, Staley and Auriemma went viral pinch their relationship astatine midcourt, wherever Auriemma appeared to enrage Staley earlier stepping off.

This time, Staley and Close hugged and shared a fewer words. During nan exchange, Staley "looked astir afterward like, ‘see??’", per NBC Sports.

Staley was showing a spot of sarcasm, arsenic she noted Auriemma didn’t shingle her manus earlier nan Final Four tipped disconnected betwixt nan 2 teams connected Friday night.

After nan Gamecocks’ triumph complete nan Huskies, Staley was asked what precisely happened pinch Auriemma, though she tried to explicate her attraction successful helping her squad fastener successful for nan nationalist title game. If they won, it would’ve been nan 4th nationalist title successful nan past 10 years for South Carolina.

Head coach Cori Close of nan UCLA Bruins watches during nan first 4th against nan South Carolina Gamecocks successful nan NCAA women's hoops nationalist title astatine Mortgage Matchup Center successful Phoenix, Ariz., connected April 5, 2026. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

"For me, nary distractions astatine this time. I'm concentrating connected winning a nationalist championship, that’s it," Staley said astatine nan time. "That’s a small disheartening. This is sports, sometimes things for illustration this happen. Continue to attraction connected my squad and expertise to beforehand successful this tourney and hopefully triumph different nationalist championship."

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Auriemma later released a statement, apologizing for his behaviour aft nan loss.

"There’s nary excuse for really I handled nan extremity of nan crippled vs. South Carolina. It’s dissimilar what I do and what our modular is here at Connecticut," nan Hall of Fame coach said successful a connection connected Saturday. "I want to apologize to nan unit and nan squad astatine South Carolina. It was uncalled for successful really I reacted. The communicative should beryllium really good South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a awesome narration pinch their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them."

Staley added she had "no idea" why Auriemma was angry aft nan game, though she guessed possibly he was ticked disconnected by nan deficiency of handshake earlier nan crippled connected his ain end. Either way, Staley was moving forward.

UCLA Bruins caput coach Cori Close shakes hands pinch South Carolina Gamecocks caput coach Dawn Staley aft defeating South Carolina 79-51 successful nan NCAA women's title crippled astatine Mortgage Matchup Center successful Phoenix, Ariz., connected April 4, 2026. (Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times)

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"I don’t cognize what he came pinch aft nan game, but, hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on," she said.

For UCLA, it was nan first clip nan women’s hoops programme has won nan nationalist title, arsenic their affectional ceremony ensued pursuing nan crippled successful Phoenix.

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