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PHOENIX — ESPN color commentator and former UConn star Rebecca Lobo said coach Geno Auriemma has "reached out" to South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley and apologized for confronting her at the Final Four.
During the game against UCLA in the national championship on April 5, Lobo said, "Geno Auriemma certainly wrong in that moment, which he acknowledged in that apology yesterday. I know he has also since (the apology) reached out personally to Dawn to apologize. It's unfortunate that it happened."
Auriemma publicly apologized in a statement the day after a heated exchange in the Final Four but didn't name Staley.
Shortly after the statement was released April 4, Staley was asked if Auriemma reached out to her and if she wanted to have a conversation to clear the air.
"Yeah, for me no distractions at this time. Concentrating on winning the national championship. That's it," Staley said.
The No. 4 overall seeded Gamecocks (36-3) beat No. 1 overall seed UConn, snapping a 54-game win streak for the Huskies.
With 0.8 seconds on the clock, both coaches were held back by assistants after a conversation when shaking hands as the game was ending got intense.
Auriemma said postgame he was frustrated Staley did not shake his hand before the game. ESPN showed video of the two shaking hands before the game.
He doubled down in his press conference, saying he has no regrets for what occurred. But he wrote in his apology that there's no excuse for how he handled the situation.
"It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut," the apology read. "I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them."
South Carolina wasn't the favorite heading into the rematch with UConn, which beat Staley's team twice last season, including in the title game by 23 points.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Geno Auriemma apologized to Dawn Staley, Rebecca Lobo says
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During the game against UCLA in the national championship on April 5, Lobo said, "Geno Auriemma certainly wrong in that moment, which he acknowledged in that apology yesterday. I know he has also since (the apology) reached out personally to Dawn to apologize. It's unfortunate that it happened."
Auriemma publicly apologized in a statement the day after a heated exchange in the Final Four but didn't name Staley.
Shortly after the statement was released April 4, Staley was asked if Auriemma reached out to her and if she wanted to have a conversation to clear the air.
"Yeah, for me no distractions at this time. Concentrating on winning the national championship. That's it," Staley said.
The No. 4 overall seeded Gamecocks (36-3) beat No. 1 overall seed UConn, snapping a 54-game win streak for the Huskies.
What happened between Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma
With 0.8 seconds on the clock, both coaches were held back by assistants after a conversation when shaking hands as the game was ending got intense.
Auriemma said postgame he was frustrated Staley did not shake his hand before the game. ESPN showed video of the two shaking hands before the game.
He doubled down in his press conference, saying he has no regrets for what occurred. But he wrote in his apology that there's no excuse for how he handled the situation.
"It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut," the apology read. "I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them."
South Carolina wasn't the favorite heading into the rematch with UConn, which beat Staley's team twice last season, including in the title game by 23 points.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Geno Auriemma apologized to Dawn Staley, Rebecca Lobo says
Continue reading...
