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Geno Auriemma expressed regret over his heated exchange with Dawn Staley after UConn's loss to South Carolina in the Final Four, acknowledging that everyone makes mistakes. He felt 'dumb' for the confrontation that occurred during the game.
Geno Auriemma reflects on heated moment with Dawn Staley: âWe are all humanâ
Addressing a group of reporters for the first time since the Final Four, UConn womenâs basketball coach Geno Auriemma said that he feels âdumbâ for his heated exchange with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley after UConnâs national semifinal loss.
âWhen I walked into the locker room afterward with the coaches, you are just shaking your head, thinking, âFive more seconds, you couldnât keep it in for five more seconds,'â Auriemma said Monday in an interview with reporters at UConnâs training facility. âYou just feel dumb for the way that it played out. We are all human, and we all do dumb (stuff).â
The moment came in the final seconds of South Carolinaâs 62-48 win over the Huskies, when Auriemma confronted Staley along the sideline, later saying he was complaining that she didnât shake his hand during pregame introductions. Assistant coaches and referees separated the two coaches, and Auriemma left without shaking Staleyâs hand postgame. Auriemma also complained about foul calls and implied that South Carolina had ripped Sarah Strongâs jersey, while video replays showed Strong ripping her own jersey in frustration.
Staley later said, âIf I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did.â Auriemma apologized for his behavior the following morning, saying his reaction was âuncalled for.â
Auriemma has been here before. The UConn coach, who has run the program for four decades and led the Huskies to 12 national championships, recalled sparking controversy in 1998, when he devised a plan to allow an injured Nykesha Sales to score an uncontested layup to break UConnâs all-time scoring record.
Geno Auriemma stated he felt 'dumb' for the heated exchange with Dawn Staley and acknowledged that everyone makes mistakes.
Auriemma confronted Staley about not shaking his hand during pregame introductions, leading to a sideline dispute that required separation by coaches and referees.
UConn lost to South Carolina 62-48 in the Final Four, which prompted Auriemma's complaints about foul calls and a confrontation with Staley.
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âImmediately, it was the worst thing to happen to the game of basketball,â Auriemma told reporters Monday. âTo sports in general.â
As for Aprilâs fallout?
âMaybe some of it was warranted, and some of it was people lying in the weeds, waiting for that moment,â Auriemma said.
Auriemma and Staley spoke in the days after South Carolina lost the national championship game to UCLA. Both coaches said they wanted to put the incident behind them, and Auriemma reiterated that outlook Monday.
âI did what I did,â he said. âI apologized for it and moved on.â
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
South Carolina Gamecocks, Connecticut Huskies, Women's College Basketball
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