Geno Auriemma responds to fiery Dawn Staley exchange after Final Four

[ASFN Admin]

UConn coach Geno Auriemma has responded to the heated postgame exchange between him and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.

Staley's team topped his in Friday's 2026 NCAA women's Final Four game in Phoenix, sending the Huskies back to Storrs and snapping a perfect season. Auriemma's night ended with him storming off the court and not participating in postgame handshakes after getting into a tense war of words with Staley.

Staley and eagle-eyed lip readers seem to think the exchange happened over Auriemma alleging a missed pregame handshake between the two coaches. The two indeed met before the game for just that.

What does Auriemma think about what happened? Mum was the word during his postgame press conference.

"I said what I had to say," Auriemma told reporters about the moment before tapering off with "nothing, nothing."

“I said what I had to say.”

Geno Auriemma addresses his confrontation with Dawn Staley.#WFinalFourpic.twitter.com/h0Chw5N5zP

— Jason Krump (@JasonKrump) April 4, 2026

Auriemma later alluded being left on the court without another formal pregame handshake with Staley. He said postgame that he waited around three minutes for with no response from the South Carolina coach.

Geno indicates he was frustrated that Dawn didn’t shake his hand pregame.

“The protocol is before the game you meet at half court (to shake hands) … I waited there for like three minutes, so it is what it is.” pic.twitter.com/StFrUPX5ug

— Alanis Thames (@alanisthames) April 4, 2026

Well, that's that from his perspective, we suppose.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Geno Auriemma responds to fiery Dawn Staley exchange after Final Four

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