Dawn Staley doesn’t want anything to overshadow the Gamecocks’ performance

The South Carolina Gamecocks snapped the unbeaten run of the UConn Huskies and advanced to the 2026 March Madness final. Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma were involved in a heated exchange, one that Staley does not want to overshadow the significance it has been given.

“I’m super proud of our kids and I’m not going to let any of this take anything away from the performance on the floor,“ she said to the press. Auriemma’s fury with the officiating may have sparked the verbal altercation between the two coaches—or even led to a perceived lack of respect between both sides.

“I guess he thought I didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game,” Staley told ESPN‘s Molly Rowe. “I didn’t know. I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff’s hand.”

A dominant victory for the Gamecocks

South Carolina secured a dominant 62–48 victory over UConn in the Final Four, fueled by a defensive masterclass that held the Huskies to a season-low 31.1% shooting from the field. After trailing at halftime, the Gamecocks took control with a decisive 12–2 run to start the third quarter, effectively neutralizing stars like Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd.

Ta’niya Latson #00 of the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Ta’Niya Latson led the offensive charge with 16 points, while Agot Makeer added 14 to help snap UConn’s incredible 54-game winning streak. This physical and disciplined performance by Dawn Staley’s squad officially punched its ticket to Sunday’s National Championship game against UCLA.

See also

South Carolina vs UConn: Head-to-head record between Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma

Chasing the fourth National Title

The South Carolina Gamecocks last captured the March Madness title in 2024, further solidifying their status as the premier powerhouse in women’s college basketball. Under the elite leadership of Dawn Staley, the program has secured three national championships in total, winning in 2017, 2022, and 2024.

After finishing as runners-up in the 2025 tournament, the Gamecocks enter tomorrow’s final against UCLA with a chance to claim their fourth trophy in school history. A victory would mark their second title in three years and cement their era as one of the most dominant runs in the sport’s history.