Geno Auriemma apologizes for tense exchange with Dawn Staley after UConn loss
After the loss, Auriemma said the exchange was about the lack of a traditional pregame handshake between the coaches. Staley said she was confused Friday night.
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UConn coach Geno Auriemma has apologized for his actions during a heated exchange with Dawn Staley at the end of the Huskies’ loss to South Carolina in the women’s Final Four.
A visibly upset Auriemma went over to Staley in the final seconds of South Carolina’s 62-48 victory on Friday night and appeared to chastise her. Coaches from both teams had to separate them. When the game finally ended, Auriemma walked off the court to the locker room without going back to shake hands with anyone from South Carolina.
“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina. It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut,” the Hall of Fame coach said in a statement on Saturday. “I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. 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.”
Staley said Saturday morning she was focused on the title game against UCLA on Sunday and not what happened a night earlier.
“For me, no distractions at this time. I’m concentrating on winning a national championship, that’s it,” Staley said. “That’s a little disheartening. This is sports, sometimes things like this happen. Continue to focus on my team and ability to advance in this tournament and hopefully win another national championship.”
Staley added that she would address the issue at a later point.
After the loss, Auriemma said the exchange was about the lack of a traditional pregame handshake between the coaches. Staley said she was confused Friday night.
“I have no idea,” the South Carolina coach said after the game. “But I’m going to 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.
According to the NCAA’s policy in its operations manual for the tournament, after starting lineups are announced for both teams, the two coaches are directed to meet at midcourt and shake hands. Staley and Auriemma shook hands earlier in the pregame, but not after introductions, which irked Auriemma.
The women’s basketball committee always reviews issues that arise in the tournament after it concludes, the NCAA said.
South Carolina advanced to play UCLA in Sunday’s title game. The Gamecocks are seeking their third championship in five seasons.
UConn and South Carolina are set to play each other in each of the next two seasons, with the first game in Connecticut.
