Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies were handed their first loss of the 2025-26 season and it’s going to be a tough one to recover from. After 38 straight wins, the Huskies played Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks today in their Final Four matchup.
At the end of the first half, the Huskies were leading by two points. But once the second half went underway, it was an all-South Carolina show. The Gamecocks won 62-48, outscoring UConn 38-22.
The loss seemed even worse after what happened between the two coaches. As the clock was running out, Staley walked up to Coach Geno to shake hands, which is a standard practice for coaches.
Instead, Auriemma was fuming and was seen exchanging some heated words with her. Staley didn’t back down, and things escalated quickly to a level where staff members from both sides and even some of the refs had to be involved.
It’s still unclear what was said between the two and what led to this situation in the first place. Regardless, it wasn’t a good look. Stephen A. Smith took to X to share his thoughts on Auriemma’s behavior.
He said that he never expected Auriemma, whom he believes to be the greatest women’s basketball coach ever, to act like that after a loss.
“That was some straight B.S. from the GREAT Geno Auriemma. Never — ever — thought I’d see the day when the greatest woman’s college coach in history would go down so CLASSLESSLY!!! Horrible look, and should be called out for it,” SAS wrote.
“He got OUTCOACHED. Plain and simple. And gets in her face like she did something wrong to him instead of being gracious. Had Dawn Staley acted like that we would be all over her,” he added.
At the end of his post, Stephen A. added a hashtag that said it was horrible from Coach Geno.
Geno Auriemma was Furious Over a Pregame Protocol
From the videos circulating on the internet, it seems like Auriemma was the one who started it with Staley after the game. Theories are floating around, and lip readers are at work, but nothing can be said with certainty yet.
At the post-game press conference, Auriemma alluded to a pregame protocol that Staley didn’t follow. That might’ve been the reason behind his outburst.
“The protocol is before the game, you meet at half court (to shake hands) … I waited there for like three minutes, so it is what it is,” as per Alanis Thames of The Associated Press.
With this win, the Gamecocks have qualified for the National Championship game on Sunday.
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