South Carolina's Dawn Staley gives blunt response to Geno Auriemma confrontation

South Carolina Gamecocks women’s hoops caput coach Dawn Staley is laser-focused connected bringing location a 4th nationalist title successful nan past 10 years, moreover arsenic questions equine astir her heated confrontation pinch UConn’s Geno Auriemma.

Auriemma confronted Staley astatine halfcourt pursuing nan Gamecocks’ Final Four triumph connected Friday night. Auriemma’s words appeared to enrage Staley earlier he walked disconnected nan court. He suggested he was upset pinch Staley since nan pregame complete a deficiency of handshake.

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South Carolina caput coach Dawn Staley speaks during a news convention astatine nan NCAA assemblage hoops tourney Final Four successful Phoenix connected April 4, 2026. (John Locher/AP)

She was asked astir nan incident connected Saturday, and sidestepped nan question.

"For me, nary distractions astatine this time. I'm concentrating connected winning a nationalist championship, that’s it," Staley said. "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."

Auriemma released a connection connected Saturday afternoon, apologizing for his behavior.

"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 present 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."

GENO AURIEMMA RELEASES STATEMENT AFTER SHOUTING MATCH WITH DAWN STALEY: 'UNLIKE WHAT I DO'

South Carolina caput coach Dawn Staley and UConn caput coach Geno Auriemma reason aft a women's NCAA assemblage hoops tourney semifinal crippled astatine nan Final Four successful Phoenix connected April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

Staley said she was confused complete what Auriemma was angry about.

"I person nary idea," nan South Carolina coach said aft nan game. "But I’m going to fto you cognize this: I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity. So if I did thing incorrect to Geno, I had nary thought what I did. I conjecture he thought I didn’t shingle his manus astatine nan opening of nan game. I didn’t know. I went down location pregame, shook everybody connected his staff’s hand.

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

The ESPN broadcast noted that Staley shook hands pinch Huskies unit members and players anterior to tip-off. But NCAA argumentation states that, for nan tournament, nan 2 coaches are directed to meet astatine midcourt to shingle hands aft nan starting lineups are announced.

Staley and Auriemma shook hands earlier successful nan pregame, but not aft nan introductions. It appeared to group disconnected Auriemma.

South Carolina caput coach Dawn Staley and UConn caput coach Geno Auriemma reason aft a women's NCAA assemblage hoops tourney semifinal crippled astatine nan Final Four successful Phoenix connected April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

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South Carolina will return connected nan UCLA Bruins for nan women’s championship.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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