COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) 鈥� South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley says it is time to move past her with UConn coach Geno Auriemma that became the talk of the tournament.
Staley on South Carolina’s X account on Tuesday in which she expressed her respect for Auriemma and said the two have spoken since South Carolina鈥檚 on Friday night. The season ended with UCLA’s runaway over South Carolina in Sunday’s national championship game.
鈥淲ith the college women鈥檚 basketball season behind us, it鈥檚 time to move forward and close the chapter on how our semifinal game with UConn ended,鈥� Staley wrote in her statement. “I spoke with Geno and I want to be clear 鈥� I have a great deal of respect for him and what he鈥檚 meant to the game. One moment doesn鈥檛 define a career and it doesn鈥檛 change the impact he鈥檚 had on growing women鈥檚 basketball.
鈥淭he standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that鈥檚 something this game has benefited from. So I鈥檓 asking everyone to turn the page. Let鈥檚 refocus on what matters most, continuing to elevate our game, creating opportunities and pushing it forward. That鈥檚 always been my mission, and it鈥檚 not changing.鈥�
Staley’s statement followed on Saturday after he went over to Staley in the final seconds of Friday night’s game and appeared to chastise her. Coaches from both teams had to separate them. When the game finally ended, Auriemma walked off the court to the locker room without going back to shake hands with anyone from South Carolina.
Auriemma said in a statement on Saturday that there was no excuse for how he handled the end of the game against South Carolina. Tuesday night saying he had spoken to Staley, her staff and team, and again expressed his apologies.
鈥淚 apologized to Dawn, her staff and her team,鈥� Auriemma said. “I鈥檝e lost more games in the Final Four than any coach in history. But Friday I lost something more important. I lost myself.
“Those who know me know I have nothing but respect and admiration for the game and the coaches who coach it. Dawn and her team deserved to win, and they deserved better from me.
“Women鈥檚 basketball deserved better. My university, my athletes, my former players and our fans deserved better.
鈥淒awn and I have agreed to move on, and we hope the focus will shift back to the growth in women鈥檚 basketball. The game deserves it.鈥�
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