04/07/26 08:15:00
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04/07 20:13 CDT South Carolina's Staley says it is time to move past her Final
Four skirmish with UConn's Auriemma
South Carolina's Staley says it is time to move past her Final Four skirmish
with UConn's Auriemma
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) --- South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley
says it is time to move past her Final Four skirmish with UConn coach Geno
Auriemma that became the talk of the tournament.
Staley released a statement 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's 62-48 victory on Friday night. The season ended with UCLA's runaway
79-51 win over South Carolina in Sunday's national championship game.
"With the college women's basketball season behind us, it's time to move
forward and close the chapter on how our semifinal game with UConn ended,"
Staley wrote in her statement. "I spoke with Geno and I want to be clear --- I
have a great deal of respect for him and what he's meant to the game. One
moment doesn't define a career and it doesn't change the impact he's had on
growing women's basketball.
"The standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that's something this
game has benefited from. So I'm asking everyone to turn the page. Let's refocus
on what matters most, continuing to elevate our game, creating opportunities
and pushing it forward. That's always been my mission, and it's not changing."
Staley's statement followed Auriemma's apology 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 he released a
statement saying he had spoken to Staley, her staff and team, and again
expressed his apologies.
"I apologized to Dawn, her staff and her team," Auriemma said. "I've 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's basketball deserved better. My university, my athletes, my former
players and our fans deserved better.
"Dawn and I have agreed to move on, and we hope the focus will shift back to
the growth in women's basketball. The game deserves it."
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and
coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
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