UConn head coach Geno Auriemma has apologised for his behaviour towards Dawn Staley following Friday night’s women’s Final Four defeat, admitting his actions were “uncalled for”. The Hall of Fame coach approached Staley in the closing seconds of South Carolina’s 62-48 victory and appeared to rebuke her, requiring intervention from coaching staff. Auriemma then walked off the court without shaking hands with any Gamecocks.
In a statement on Saturday, Auriemma said: “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 apologise to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that.”
Staley, a three-time national champion with the Gamecocks, said on Saturday morning that she would not let the incident distract her from Sunday’s title game against UCLA. “For me, no distractions at this time,” she said. “This is sports, sometimes things like this happen. Continue to focus on my team and ability to advance in this tournament and hopefully win another national championship.”
After the match, Auriemma suggested the exchange stemmed from a lack of a traditional pregame handshake. Staley said she had shaken hands with every UConn staff member before the game and was confused by his reaction. “I don’t know what he came with after the game, but, hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on,” she added.
The pair, two of the most respected figures in women’s basketball, embraced at halfcourt after UConn’s title win over South Carolina last year. Their teams are scheduled to meet again over the next two seasons.
