South Carolina Ends UConn's Perfect Season, Auriemma-Staley Exchange Caps Heated Game

The Gamecocks had been reminded of last year's national championship loss to UConn every single morning since the offseason began. Sports performance coach Molly Binetti kept that final score displayed on weight room TVs by 6 a.m. daily, instilling the sting of defeat even in newcomers. We saw that in our faces, so even though I didn't experience that, I had to take on that because I knew that it was just more than just myself, said Ta'Niya Latson, who joined the program this season. It was for the program, for the team and for the coaches. South Carolina delivered on that motivation by dismantling an offense that had averaged 87 points per game this season. AP Player of the Year Sarah Strong was held to just 11 points. All-American Azzi Fudd managed eight points on 3-of-15 shooting. UConn shot just 31 percent from the field overall, ending its bid for a seventh undefeated championship season and finishing 38-1. The Gamecocks didn't shoot much better at 37 percent, but their defensive physicality created problems throughout. South Carolina trailed by just two at halftime despite making only four shots in the second quarter. The Gamecocks shot 46 percent from the field and converted eight of 10 free throws to build a 10-point lead with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. UConn responded with three consecutive three-pointers, but South Carolina answered with four straight points to take a five-point cushion into the fourth quarter, never looking back. The frustration boiled over during a third-quarter timeout when Auriemma, already agitated, spoke directly to ESPN's Holly Rowe on the broadcast. There were six fouls called that quarter, all of them against us, Auriemma said. And they've been beating the s- out of our guys down there the entire game. And I'm not making excuses because we haven't been able to make a shot. But this is ridiculous. Their coach ran some rage on the sideline and called the referees some names you don't want to hear. And now we get 6 to 0, and I got a kid with a ripped jersey. And they go, 'I didn't see it.' C'mon man, this is the national championship. The ripped jersey belonged to Strong, who replaced her torn No. 21 with a blank No. 55 before returning to the floor. She was measured in her postgame explanation. It was an accident, Strong said. I missed that shot. Ripped it by accident. South Carolina finished 18-of-22 from the free-throw line. UConn converted just four of six attempts and shot 29 percent from three. As the final seconds expired, Auriemma crossed the sideline toward Staley in what appeared to be a routine postgame exchange. Instead both coaches became visibly heated. Assistant coaches moved between them before Auriemma walked directly to the locker room, bypassing the handshake line entirely and leaving before his own players. Staley told Rowe she was uncertain what prompted the confrontation. I have no idea, Staley said. But imma let you know this: I'm of integrity. I'm of integrity. So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did. I guess he thought I didn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn't know, I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff's hand, I don't know what he came with after the game. But hey, sometimes things get heated, we move on. The Gamecocks advance to Sunday's national championship game, extending one of the most dominant runs in women's college basketball history under Staley, who has now guided South Carolina to four title game appearances in five seasons.