Dawn Staley talks about her heated battle with Geno Auriemma and defeating Collegiate Con in the Final Four
USA TODAY Sports’ Megan Hall asked Dawn Staley about her postgame exchange with Geno Auriemma and how her team destroyed the University in the Final Four.
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Geno Auriemma was wrong.
Throwing Dawn Staley under the bus during the game interview was a mistake.
It was a mistake to confront her near the end of the match.
It was a mistake to leave the court without shaking Staley’s hand.
And he was wrong to suggest that Staley did not shake hands before the game and that a South Carolina player tore Sarah Strong’s jersey, both despite evidence to the contrary.
For someone who has done so much for the game, this was the lowest point in Auriemma’s career. Maybe it’s the worst. He ruined this game, and worse, it overshadowed everything the team had done up until that point.
“Here at the University of Connecticut, I think we know how to win because we’ve won a lot. I think we know how to win with class, and we know how to win with dignity. We win with humility,” Auriemma said Friday, April 3, after the school’s 54-game winning streak ended with a 62-48 loss to South Carolina in the Final Four.
“But the real test is how they handle themselves in this moment. How they were in the locker room, how they handled that moment. I always want my team to be able to handle both moments exactly the same,” Auriemma added. “Nobody has won as much as we have, so when you’re a part of it, you have to be forgiving of losing.”
“We would never want anything else, and we treat people with respect.”
But Auriemma did nothing of the kind.
Listen, everyone screams at the referee. Auriemma. Staley. Vic Schaefer. Kim Mulkey. Jeff Waltz. Even if you’re not playing the game on the sidelines, are you playing the game? And with 12 national titles and 25 Final Four appearances, Auriemma has more leeway than most.
Let me tell you, this isn’t just limited to the women’s game. An “interaction” that Auriemma’s counterpart at UW, Dan Hurley, had with the referee is the focus of the men’s Final Four.
But Auriemma crossed the line between being the team’s passionate defender and being a crybaby.
In an in-game interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe late in the fourth quarter, he lamented the difference in foul numbers. impartial. But then he made it personal, saying, “Their coach (Staley) yells profanities on the sideline and says bad things you don’t want the referees to hear.”
Shortly after, Auriemma and Staley exchanged words and had to be separated by staff as the final seconds ticked down. Auriemma left the court instead of staying for the traditional postgame handshake while Staley looked around in confusion.
Neither coach would elaborate on what was said or what led to the heated exchange. To be fair, though, Staley wasn’t responsible for explaining that.
It was all Auriemma’s fault. And he was wrong.
When asked what happened, Auriemma said, “I just said what I had to say.” “Nothing, nothing”
That’s not enough. If you have a problem with another coach and make it public, like Auriemma did, you have an obligation to explain. But Auriemma wasn’t having it because he had nothing to give.
UW did not lose because of referee interference, with 22 inning for the University of South Carolina, compared to 6 for the Huskies. The game, and UW’s perfect season, lost due to South Carolina’s defensive pressure.
The defending national champions shot 31% in the game, but were just 7-of-31 (less than 23%) in the second half. Strong, the varsity player of the year, spent 30 minutes — 30 minutes!!! — going 4 of 16 from the field, not making a field goal from late in the first quarter until midway through the fourth. Azi Fad, the Most Valuable Player in last year’s title game, was 3-for-15.
South Carolina dominated College in rebounds (47-32), points in the paint (34-20) and fast-break points (16-9).
Shall we continue?
This was not a referee issue. This was a South Carolina team that had been holding a grudge since last year’s title game, forcing the college cons into a woodchipper when they finally got their chance.
“All credit to them for how they played, how hard they played, the shots they made when they had to make them,” Auriemma said.
yes. But for some reason, Auriemma couldn’t give South Carolina and Staley their due. Rather than use this as fuel for next year’s team — “I’ll be back here next year, (strong) will make sure of that,” Auriemma said — he had to go low.
However, if you try to drag others into the quagmire, you will inevitably end up getting dragged into the quagmire yourself. But it wasn’t just Auriemma who was covered in it, everyone else on the floor was covered in it as well. The lasting memory of this game won’t be South Carolina’s defense or Tanya Latson’s standout performance. This won’t be Fudd’s last game in a University Union uniform.
It’s Auriemma and his tantrums.
Auriemma may be the greatest coach ever, in the women’s game or any other game. His record and accolades speak for themselves.
But on this night, Auriemma was the loser. It hurts, that.
Follow USA TODAY sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
