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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PHOENIX — UW coach Geno Auriemma released a statement apologizing for his actions after the Huskies’ loss to South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday, April 3.
UW entered the game on a 54-game winning streak and was looking for its second consecutive championship, but all that was overshadowed by the post-game exchange between Auriemma and Dawn Staley, who went to shake hands just before the final buzzer. The two had a heated conversation before being separated by an assistant coach. Auriemma returned to the locker room without shaking hands with Staley or the team.
“There is no excuse for my response at the end of the game against South Carolina. This is different from my job and the standards we hold in Connecticut. I want to apologize to the South Carolina staff and team. My reaction was unwarranted. The issue should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to take away from that. I have had a great relationship with their staff, and I want to sincerely apologize to them.”
Asked in the postgame press conference what happened between him and Staley, Auriemma initially said, “Nothing, nothing,” but said he was upset because he kept Staley waiting for three minutes during the customary pregame handshake between coaches.
“I’ve been coaching for 41 years, I’ve been to the Final Four 25 times, and before the game we meet in half court. Has anyone ever seen that? Two coaches meet in half court and shake hands. Right? Have you seen that? They announce it on the loudspeaker. And I waited there for about three minutes,” Auriemma said with a shrug. “So, that’s what it is.”
ESPN cameras showed the two coaches briefly meeting before the game, and Staley was seen hugging Auriemma and several members of the UW women’s basketball team.
Staley also deflected when asked about the uproar in his postgame press conference. She said she wants to focus on winning South Carolina.
“You can ask Geno a question,” Staley said when asked about the incident in the postgame press conference. “He started it. I don’t want what happened there to take away from what we were able to accomplish today.”
The Siamcocks will play UCLA for the national championship on Sunday, April 5th at 3:30pm ET at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Staley will be fighting for his fourth title.
Meanwhile, UW will return to Storrs, Conn., without winning its 13th title. Azi Fuad, a fifth-year player, played his final game against the Huskies. National Player of the Year Sarah Strong will return next season.
During the second Final Four semifinal broadcast between UCLA and Texas, ESPN’s Ryan Ruocco and former Union University star Rebecca Lobo discussed Staley and Auriemma’s exchange and postgame comments.
Ruocco: “It’s probably a moment where he wants to go back. According to the comments from the podium, he doesn’t feel that way yet.”
Lobo: “Geno Auriemma, this is his 25th Final Four, but he’s gone 13 times without a win and lost in class every time since then. And it’s frustrating to see what happened at the end of that game.”
This story has been updated to add more information.
