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South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman’s NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo\/Rick Scuteri)<\/p>\n
Rick Scuteri\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, right, yells at UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, left, after a woman’s NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin)<\/p>\n
Ross D. Franklin\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman’s NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo\/Rick Scuteri)<\/p>\n
Rick Scuteri\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
Tensions boiled over as the UConn vs. South Carolina women\u2019s Final Four game<\/a> came to an end Friday night, with Huskies coach\u00a0Geno Auriemma<\/a> and Dawn Staley exchanging heated words before Auriemma had to be restrained before storming\u00a0out as his team fell in the national semifinal game 62-48<\/a>.<\/p>\n It was a bizarre ending<\/a>, but bound to boil over after Auriemma minced no words in expressing his displeasure with the officiating after the third quarter of the\u00a0NCAA women\u2019s basketball Final Four game against South Carolina in an interview with ESPN reporter Holly Rowe. He then followed that with criticism of\u00a0Staley.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Staley walked in Auriemma\u2019s direction to shake hands as the clock was winding down. Auriemma met her, said something to her as he extended his hand, prompting an argument with time remaining on the clock.\u00a0As the two argued, assistant UConn coach Jamelle Elliott had to step between the two head coaches to restrain Auriemma. Auriemma then walked off the court and headed toward the locker room.<\/p>\n The specific words used was a topic neither coach cared to elaborate on, but both indicated it had to do with a handshake that may or may not have happened prior to the game.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cI have no idea. I\u2019m gonna let you know this. I\u2019m of integrity. I\u2019m of integrity,\u201d Staley said in a postgame interview with ESPN. \u201cSo if I did something wrong to\u00a0Geno I had no idea what I did. I guess he thought I didn\u2019t shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn\u2019t know I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff\u2019s hand. I don\u2019t know where he came with after the game, but hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on.\u201d<\/p>\n Make CT Insider a preferred source on Google to see more of our journalism when you search.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n A video from ESPN on the postgame show showed the two coaches shake hands prior to the game. Auriemma, however, said there was more to the story \u2014 suggesting that he was essentially stood up by Staley in the pregame. The two were supposed to have a ceremonial handshake and introduction that did not happen, although the two did quickly shake hands in a handshake line involving both teams’ coaches.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n “No, I mean, for 41 years I’ve been coaching, and I’ve been, I don’t know, 30, 25 Final Fours, and the protocol is, before the game you meet at half court. Anybody ever see that before two coaches, meet at half court and they shake hands?” Auriemma said in the postgame press conference, adding he waited for “like three minutes.”<\/p>\n Auriemma referred back to the fact it was a physical game multiple times in the postgame press conference, which was also a key point in his interview with Rowe. He said he had no issue with the physicality, but pointed out that there was a significant discrepancy with fouls both at the end of the third quarter and end of the game.\u00a0<\/p>\n South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman’s NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo\/Rick Scuteri)<\/p>\n Rick Scuteri\/Associated Press<\/p>\n \u201cThere were six fouls called that quarter, all of them against us, and they\u2019ve been beating the s— out of our guys down there the entire game,” he told Rowe. \u201cNow, I\u2019m not making excuses because we haven\u2019t been able to make a shot, but this ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n He noted that Sarah Strong’s jersey was ripped during the course of play. Whether that was accurate, however, will continue to be debated. Strong said in the postgame press conference that it was an accident after missing a shot. Auriemma suggested a player from South Carolina ripped the jersey. But an ESPN camera caught Strong ripping it from the neckline, although it was unclear if it was already torn.<\/p>\n \u201cTheir coach rants and raves on the sideline and calls the referee some names you don\u2019t want to hear, and now we get 6-0 and I got a kid with a ripped jersey and they go, ‘I didn\u2019t see it.’ Come on, man!\u201d Auriemma said.<\/p>\n At the end of the third quarter, 11 fouls had been called on\u00a0UConn, five on South Carolina. The Gamecocks were 11-for-14 from the line. UConn was 1-for-2. UConn finished having been called for 17 fouls vs. South Carolina\u2019s 8. UConn shot 4-for-6 from the free throw line vs. South Carolina\u2019s 18-for-22.<\/p>\n Look for yourself. Can\u2019t believe Geno did this. Couldn\u2019t take losing to Dawn Staley. Simply and plain. Horrible, horrible look for him. Straight B\u2026. Move:https:\/\/t.co\/TjnnQJMIsI<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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