By Field Level Media
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said Tuesday that she has moved on from an on-court spat with UConn coach Geno Auriemma in the Women’s Final Four and would like everyone else to do the same.
Two of the sport’s elite coaches had a heated argument after Staley’s Gamecocks defeated the defending champion Huskies 62-48 on Friday in the national semifinal.
“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,” Staley said in a statement. “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.”
On Tuesday night, Auriemma issued a new statement in which he said he apologized to Staley directly. A previous statement Auriemma released Saturday did not mention Staley by name.
“This morning, Dawn Staley and I spoke about our interaction after the game last Friday,” Auriemma wrote Tuesday. “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.
“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.
“Dawn and I have agreed to move on, and we hope the focus will shift back to the growth in women’s basketball. The game deserves it.”
With the final seconds winding down of their game, Staley and Auriemma walked toward each other as though they were about to shake hands.
However, Auriemma didn’t extend his hand, instead saying something to Staley, who reacted angrily, and the two had to be separated. Auriemma was ushered away, then soon walked back past Staley, who continued to yell at him before her staffers surrounded her and appeared to be trying to calm her.
Subsequently asked on ESPN what led to the dispute, Staley said, “I have no idea. But I’mma let you know this: I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity. So if I did something wrong 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 down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff’s hand, I don’t know what he came with after the game. But hey, sometimes things get heated, we move on.”
Auriemma said after the game that he was upset with officiating calls against UConn and also that he waited three minutes for a pregame handshake with Staley.
Auriemma, 72, is the NCAA’s all-time winningest basketball coach. He has led the Huskies to 12 national titles, with the most recent one coming last year. UConn took its first loss of this season on Friday, ending a 54-game win streak and finishing the season 38-1.
Staley, 55, has led the Gamecocks to three national titles. South Carolina played in its third straight national championship game and fourth in the last five years on Sunday but lost to UCLA 79-51 and finished 36-4.
–Field Level Media
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