Geno Auriemma releases statement after shouting match with Dawn Staley: 'Unlike what I do'

UConn women's hoops manager Geno Auriemma showed regret for his enactment astatine the extremity of Friday's Final Four crippled against South Carolina wherever helium and Dawn Staley got into a heated discussion.

He began to talk to her aggressively, earlier the speech devolved and rapidly escalated into a disposable shouting match. Auriemma said aft the crippled helium was upset that Staley had seemingly not shaken his manus earlier the crippled (the 2 were seen shaking hands pregame, but Auriemma said helium waited respective minutes earlier seeing Staley).

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UConn caput manager Geno Auriemma watches a play precocious successful the 2nd fractional of a Sweet 16 crippled of the NCAA assemblage hoops tourney against North Carolina successful Fort Worth, Texas, connected March 27, 2026. (LM Otero/AP Photo)

"There’s nary excuse for however I handled the extremity of the crippled vs. South Carolina," Auriemma said successful a connection posted to societal media.

"It’s dissimilar what I bash and what our modular is present astatine Connecticut. I privation to apologize to the unit and the squad astatine South Carolina. It was uncalled for successful however I reacted. The communicative should beryllium however good South Carolina played, and I don’t privation my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a large narration with their staff, and I sincerely privation to apologize to them."

Staley addressed the incidental successful an interrogation with ESPN instantly afterward.

UConn caput manager Geno Auriemma reacts to a play during the archetypal fractional of a Sweet 16 crippled of the NCAA assemblage hoops tourney against North Carolina successful Fort Worth, Texas, connected March 27, 2026. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)

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"I person nary idea, but I'm going to fto you cognize this: I'm of integrity. I'm of integrity," Staley said. "So if I did thing incorrect to Geno, I had nary thought what I did. I conjecture helium thought I didn't shingle his manus astatine the opening of the game. I didn't know. I went down determination pregame, shook everybody connected his staff's hand. I don't cognize what we came with aft the game, but hey, sometimes things get heated. We determination on."

Meanwhile, Auriemma expressed displeasure with Staley and the referees during an in-game interrogation connected ESPN.

"Their manager rants and raves connected the sideline and calls the referee immoderate names you don’t privation to hear. And present we get 6 to 0, and I got a kid with a ripped jersey, and they go, ‘I didn’t spot it.’ Come on, man. It’s for a nationalist championship," helium said to Holly Rowe.

After the game, Auriemma declined to elaborate connected the incident.

Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks argues with Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies during the 2nd fractional of an NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal crippled astatine Mortgage Matchup Center successful Phoenix, Ariz., connected April 3, 2026. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

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"I said what I had to accidental and... nothing... nothing," helium said erstwhile asked what happened with Staley, refusing to archer reporters what helium said. "Why would I accidental it? I said what I said, and evidently she didn't similar it. I conscionable told the truth."

South Carolina ended UConn's cleanable play successful what was a rematch from past year's nationalist title that the Huskies won. The nonaccomplishment ended UConn's 54-game winning streak dating backmost to past season.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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