Entering Friday’s Final Four undefeated and riding a 54-game win streak dating back to last season, the Connecticut Huskies fell in shocking fashion to the South Carolina Gamecocks, 62-48.
UConn shot just 19-for-61, and while head coach Geno Auriemma expressed frustration with the officiating during the game, the tension escalated seconds into the postgame, resulting in a viral moment when Auriemma and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley had to be separated at mid court.
Auriemma was reportedly upset over something Staley did. According to Staley, he was frustrated that she hadn’t shaken his hand before the game — but that claim was quickly debunked after videos surfaced showing the two coaches shaking hands before tipoff.
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The legendary UConn coach later explained in his postgame press conference why that moment bothered him, saying he had been waiting at midcourt for Staley to shake his hand and was there “like three minutes” before she approached him.
He also made it very clear that he has “no regrets” about the comments he made at the end of the third quarter regarding the referees and Staley’s sideline behavior—and he offered no apology for his postgame actions.
“I don’t have any regrets about what I said to Holly Rowe,” Auriemma said. “Why would I? Why would I? I’ve been coaching a long time, I never had to have a kid have to change there jersey because somebody ripped it and the official said I didn’t see it.
There was a lot of things that happened in that game. Unless you’re on that sideline you have no idea what’s happening on that sideline…For 41 years I’ve been coaching… and the protocol is before the game you meet at half court. Anybody ever seen that before? The two coaches meet at half court and they shake hands. Correct? They announce it on the loud speaker and I wanted there for like three minutes. So it is what it is.”
Auriemma is arguably the greatest coach in all of college basketball history. While he can have a fiery temper at times, he usually doesn’t act out without reason. I
n this case, however, he seems to be in the minority, as UConn heads home while South Carolina prepares for Sunday’s national championship.
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