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South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley is focused on bringing home a fourth national championship in the last 10 years, even as questions mount about her heated confrontation with UConn's Geno Auriemma.
Auriemma confronted Staley at midcourt following the Gamecocks' Final Four victory on Friday night. Auriemma's words seemed to enrage Staley before he left the court. He suggested he was upset with Staley since the pregame for the lack of a handshake.
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South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley speaks during a press conference at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Phoenix on April 4, 2026. (John Locher/AP)
He was asked about the incident on Saturday and avoided the question.
“For me, there are no distractions right now. I'm focusing on winning a national championship, that's all,” Staley said. “That's a little discouraging. This is sports, sometimes things like this happen. I continue to focus on my team and my ability to advance in this tournament and hopefully win another national championship.”
Auriemma issued a statement Saturday afternoon apologizing for his behavior.
“There is no excuse for how I handled the end of the game against South Carolina. It is different than what I do and our standard here in Connecticut,” the Hall of Fame coach said in a statement Saturday. “I want to apologize to the South Carolina staff and team. How I reacted wasn't necessary. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don't want my actions to detract from that. I've had a great relationship with 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 head coach Dawn Staley and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a semifinal game of the NCAA women's college basketball tournament at the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)
Staley said she was confused about why Auriemma was angry.
“I have no idea,” the South Carolina coach said after the game. “But I'll let you know this: I have integrity. I have integrity. So if I did something bad to Geno, I had no idea what I did. I guess he thought I didn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn't know. I went there before the game and shook hands with everyone on his staff.
“I don't know what he came with after the game, but hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on.”
The ESPN broadcast noted that Staley shook hands with Huskies staff members and players before kickoff. But NCAA policy states that for the tournament, the two coaches must meet at midcourt to shake hands after the starting lineups are announced.
Staley and Auriemma shook hands before the game, but not after the introductions. It seemed to make Auriemma explode.
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a semifinal game of the NCAA women's college basketball tournament at the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)
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South Carolina will face the UCLA Bruins for the women's championship.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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