Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma argue
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Dawn Staley and the South Carolina women’s basketball team showed up in the Final Four and delivered an epic upset over the top-seeded UConn Huskies to advance to the national championship in the 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament.
Geno Auriemma loses it: UConn's previously perfect season ends with coach's legacy-damaging meltdown
PHOENIX – Last week in Texas, during the Regionals of the women's NCAA Tournament, I asked Geno Auriemma and his UConn players about how they prepare for adversity, considering how little they had faced on the court this season.
Although there were a few upsets in the bracket, the 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament saw plenty of chalk. That includes all four No. 1 seeds advancing to the Final Four, which shows the amount of talent the top teams possess.
It’s not exactly clear what happened between the Huskies coach and Dawn Staley after South Carolina beat UConn, but he made it publicly personal.
NCAA President Charlie Baker pushed back on Geno Auriemma's criticism and defended the Women's NCAA Tournament double-regional format.