PHOENIX —South Carolinahead coachDawn Staleyhas positioned the Gamecocks to play on the last day of the women's college basketball season, but she finds it "disheartening" how the focus is elsewhere.
UConn head coachGeno Auriemma issued an apologyto South Carolina and team staff for how he conducted himself during theHuskies' Final Four loss to the Gamecocks. His statement was posted on social media less than an hour before Staley's prescheduled press conference ahead of the NCAA championship game on Saturday.
When asked if Auriemma reached out to her personally, Staley shut down all conversations that would further detract from her team reaching the title game for the fourth time in five years.
"For me no distractions at this time. Concentrating on winning the national championship. That's it," Staley said. "That's a little disheartening… I'm choosing to stick to the task at hand. At some point everything is going to be addressed. Today, this weekend won't be one of them."
The Final Four matchup between South Carolina and UConn was played with intensity throughout, with emotions building as the game reached its closing stretch.That tension surfaced late as the outcome was decided, leading to visible reactions and an exchange between two of women's basketball's most prominent coaches.
Above, UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley react during the second half of the 2026 Women's Final Four semifinal at Mortgage Matchup Center." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks and head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies exchange words during the fourth quarter in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma bring intensity to SC‑UConn. See photos
The Final Four matchup between South Carolina and UConn was played with intensity throughout, withemotions building as the game reached its closing stretch.That tension surfaced late as the outcome was decided, leading to visible reactions and an exchange between two of women's basketball's most prominent coaches.Above, UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley react during the second half of the 2026 Women's Final Four semifinal at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The Gamecocks put on a defensive masterclass to hold the Huskies to season lows in points and field goal percentage and snap their 54-game win streak. In the waning moments ofSouth Carolina's 62-48 winon April 3,Auriemma and Staley got into a heated confrontationbefore the postgame handshake.
During the chaos of the melee, senior guard Raven Johnson reached in for a high five from her coach, which Staley called a "classic" Johnson moment. Johnson said she didn't exactly know why she reached for a high five, but noted that she wanted "to calm (Staley) down in the moment."
"I honestly just saw her screaming. Something she doesn't usually do. I ran over to her quick. Like, I don't play about Coach Staley at all," Johnson said. "We've been through a lot together. She fights for each one of us outside of basketball. When she's in situations like this, I'm always going to have her back."
Johnson accomplished her goal. Staley said the spontaneous gesture was instantly "calming" and helped ground her. Johnson has had that effect on Staley throughout her five years at South Carolina, so much so that StaleysaidJohnson is the players she'll "miss the most out of all the players that I've coached" when the season ends in less than 24 hours, win or lose.
"She makes me laugh even in the most difficult situations because she's so innocent. Like she really is a really kindhearted young lady. Sometimes you need people around you to put things in perspective," Staley added. "It truly was a calming for her to do that. Just to break the ice of what was happening in real time."
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Life has taught Staley how to create a bubble around distractions — "I grew up in the projects of North Philly... 215, 267, area code. So nothing, nothing can derail us, or me," Staley said — and adversity has shaped and bonded the Gamecocks throughout the season.
"We went through a lot this season. It started before the season even happened. We had people that got injured ... But I think we just stayed together. When people's numbers were called, they were ready for the moment," Johnson said. "We didn't let nobody into our circle, no matter if it was haters, no matter if it was people on our side, we leaned on each other. Even through the bad and the good times."
The task at hand is winning one more game against No. 1 UCLA on Sunday in the national championship game. Staley said she wants to send Johnson and her seniors off with a storybook ending, something that hasn't always panned out in past years.
"I'm haunted by (2023). Even though we won the following year in an undefeated fashion, that one still haunts me a little bit because of the people I was doing it with. Didn't really get a chance to end their careers off on the note in which we were very capable of doing," Staley said, before adding that this year's roster has sacrificed greatly. "We have players like that that commit to the sacredness of a team, means the world to me. I want it for those young ladies."
Johnson enters the title game highly motivated.
"I don't want to just win for myself, I want to win for my teammates, for Coach Staley," Johnson said. "I want to win for South Carolina. I want to win for the people that was in front of us. I just want to win."
Johnson added, "To win it for her, there's no better feeling, no better way to go out with a bang for her."
Reach USA TODAY National Women's Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:South Carolina's Dawn Staley eyes title amid Geno Auriemma apology drama