UConn Huskies' Geno Auriemma is reflecting on the Final Four incident with Dawn Staley and closing the page.
UConn Huskies coach Geno Auriemma wishes that he could have kept his calm for five more seconds in one of the more discussed moments in recent women’s basketball history. More than a month following Auriemma’s sideline confrontation with South Carolina Gamecocks’ Dawn Staley – one that overshadowed the Huskies’ Final Four loss – Auriemma is reflecting on all that went down ahead of a hopeful title run in 2026-27.
It was a courtside spat that developed when Auriemma confronted Staley with moments left in the Gamecocks’ 62-48 win over UConn, leading to coaches intervening and the coaches leaving without a handshake. Auriemma certainly has regrets on how he acted and his inability to keep it together until the locker room. He felt that the backlash was warranted and brought up the Nykesha Sales in 1998 when he had an injured Sales make a basket to set the school’s career scoring record. Auriemma wonders what that reaction would have been like with social media.
Now, Auriemma was okay with the criticism, but what followed was a bit of an unnecessary frenzy, as social media firestorms can often turn into.
To read more on the reflecting by Auriemma following the incident earlier this year, here is the full story from UConn Roundtable writer Jami Leabow.
The program will have to rebuild after losing two starters, including WNBA No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd. Intriguingly, Auriemma decided not to add any transfers, instead looking to rebuild with returning players. They’ll be led by returning national player of the year Sarah Strong and two incoming freshmen expected to make an impact.