Overview
- South Carolina, which beat UConn 62-48 on Friday, snapped the Huskies’ 54-game winning streak and earned a spot in the national title game.
- In the final seconds, Auriemma confronted Staley near midcourt, the two exchanged heated words, and assistants and officials stepped in as Auriemma then left without joining the handshake line.
- During an in-game interview, Auriemma criticized the officiating by citing a 6-0 third‑quarter foul split and alleging Staley berated referees.
- After widespread criticism from fans and prominent voices, Auriemma issued a Saturday apology through UConn, saying there was no excuse for his conduct and that he did not want to detract from South Carolina’s performance.
- Auriemma later said the clash stemmed from a missed pregame handshake, though broadcast video showed the coaches make contact before tip, while Staley said she did not know what upset him and emphasized keeping focus on UCLA.