ESPN
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma was not happy with South Carolina’s Dawn Staley after their game.
On Friday night, South Carolina defeated UConn 62-47 to advance to the championship game.
After the game, Auriemma lost his mind and started arguing with Staley in the handshake line.
Geno Auriemma exchanged words with Dawn Staley in the final seconds of South Carolina and UConn’s Final Four matchup. pic.twitter.com/S6anlPKqwe
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 4, 2026
A different angle of Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma’s exchange:pic.twitter.com/kdIMCD5BQG https://t.co/Ln1eULgdGy
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 4, 2026
Staley spoke with ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the game and said Auriemma was apparently angry that he didn’t shake hands with her before the game.
“I have no idea. But I’m gonna let you know this, I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity, so if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did. I guess he thought I didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game . I didn’t know. I went down there pre-game and shook everybody on his staff’s hand. I don’t know where he came from after the game. But hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on.’
“I’m super proud of our kids and I’m not going to let any of this take anything away from the performance on the floor.”
Dawn Staley shared her thoughts on the interaction with Geno Auriemma postgame. pic.twitter.com/8P9U4VTpQM
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 4, 2026
Auriemma comfirmed he was angry with Staley over pregame “protocol.”
“The protocol is, before the game, you meet at halfcourt, anybody ever see that before? The two coaches meet at halfcourt and they shake hands… they announce it on the loud speaker. I waited there for like three minutes.”
"The protocol is, before the game, you meet at halfcourt, anybody ever see that before? The two coaches meet at halfcourt and they shake hands… they announce it on the loud speaker. I waited there for like three minutes."
– Geno Auriemma pic.twitter.com/JpBlWzpzdj
— UConn Women’s Basketball Videos (@SNYUConn) April 4, 2026
Update: There are photos of Staley shaking hands with Auriemma pregame. When asked about those photos Auriemma responded “anybody that’s been in the NCAA Tournament, you know what I’m talking about.”
Dawn Staley thinks Geno Auriemma was upset because the coaches didn't shake hands pregame.
But there is a photo of the two shaking hands 👀
🐸☕️ pic.twitter.com/Swp7Z8hnaQ
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) April 4, 2026
Geno, told by a reporter that there are photos/videos of a pregame handshake with Dawn, says that the reporter missed the point of what he was saying.
“Anybody that's been in the NCAA Tournament, you know what I'm talking about,” Geno said.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) April 4, 2026