UConn Huskies coach Geno Auriemma confronted South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley during their Final Four showdown on Friday. Auriemma saw his Huskies’ unbeaten run come to an end, after which he had a heated exchange with Staley on the sideline.
On Saturday, former UConn star Diana Taurasi shared her thoughts on the situation that unfolded at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. Taurasi, who played under Auriemma’s guidance from 2000 to 2004 and three-peated the national championship, said it boiled down to a battle between two extremely competitive coaches.
“Obviously, I’ve known coach Auriemma for 25 years. He’s like a father to me,” Taurasi said. “I know Dawn really well too. So, I know both really, really well. I know it’s two really competitive people from Philly.”
“So, you know, you can put whatever label you want, and you can say whatever you want about the situation last night. But to me, it was two people competing at the highest level. They have tremendous respect for each other.
Taurasi also weighed in on the expectations at UConn.
“We get to the Final Four and lose, and it’s a terrible year. That’s where we’re at, and it really is unfair,” she added.
The incident between Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley unfolded during their postgame handshake. The UConn coach said something that irked his counterpart, resulting in a verbal altercation. Referees and staff members had to intervene to defuse the situation.
When Staley was asked about it in the postgame presser, she refused to address it, saying she did not want to ‘dampen’ their hard-fought victory with this issue.
Geno Auriemma apologizes for his outburst during the UConn vs. South Carolina Final Four game
One day after the Final Four game, Geno Auriemma issued an apology for his behavior on social media. He admitted that his actions were ‘uncalled’ for and highlighted how the focus should be on Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks making it to this year’s national championship game.
“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. I want to apologize to the staff and the entire team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for 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,” he said.
South Carolina will take on the UCLA Bruins in the national championship game on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Also Read: Clippers HC Ty Lue Pledges Support to Dawn Staley as Clash With Geno Auriemma Reaches NBA Ears
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
