UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close will face Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks in the national championship game on Sunday. The Final Fours were interesting on Friday, with South Carolina taking out Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies in a dramatic unfolding after the game.
Auriemma ended the game on a bitter note with Staley as their post-game handshake soon turned into heated confrontation. requiring them to be seperated. Auriemma was upset for two reasons. One, he believes Staley didn’t shook his hands pre-game and second, his players suffered from bad officiating.
Ahead of the championship game, Close was asked if she had discussed the confrontation with Staley.
“We texted a little bit last night, but very briefly,” Close said. “I told her in a couple weeks I’d love to know the real story. Those are two people, honestly, both Coach Auriemma and Dawn Staley, that have invested in me. I have had opportunities to grow in this profession because of the both of them.
“I’m going to let that be between them. But I will just say that this is a really competitive environment. Emotions are incredibly high. This is a culminating event. I know them to be really good people. So I’m going to trust that when all the dust settles that we just come back to that.”
It was extremely rare to see two respected coaches in women’s college basketball losing their cool after the game. However, even Close knows, how frustrating and emotional the March Madness can get.
Cori Close and Dawn Staley Trade Respects Before NCAA Finale
Cori Close and Dawn Staley both have massive respects for each other.
Ahead of the championship game, Close takes massive pride to share the NCAA Finale stage with another well-respected women coach in Staley.
“I think both Dawn and I feel a sense of pride that we are able to continue to represent women that can coach at the highest levels, to promote our game,” the UCLA head coach said.
Staley also shared respect for Close, praising the system she has built in UCLA, resulting in back to back Final Four appearances.
“UCLA is coached by a great coach, Cori Close, who has done a tremendous job with keeping that group together and formulating something truly special in getting back-to-back Final Fours, now to the national championship game. She’s done it with players who believe in her and her system. Her system works,” Close said.
The final game is on Sunday and let’s see if Staley is able to end this game without any controversey or post-game chaos like the other day she had with Auriemma.
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