Dawn Staley made it clear her focus was on respect and recognition—not controversy—following South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball’s championship loss to UCLA Bruins women’s basketball.
After UCLA’s commanding 79-51 win to secure its first national title, Staley centered her postgame remarks on honoring the Bruins and their head coach Cori Close.
“We’re not going to damper UCLA’s day with it,” Staley said, signaling her intention to keep attention on the historic achievement rather than any surrounding drama.
The victory marked a defining moment for UCLA and for Close, who reached the pinnacle of college basketball in her 15th season leading the program. Staley, who endured a similar long road before winning her own first title, acknowledged the significance of that journey.
“I’m always happy for people that worked hard in this game… Cori is one of those people who really works at making our game better,” Staley said.
Before the game, the two coaches shared a warm embrace on the sideline—an interaction that reflected mutual respect between competitors at the highest level of the sport.
Staley’s comments came amid lingering attention on her recent exchange with Geno Auriemma during the national semifinal. The incident, which unfolded during the closing moments of South Carolina’s win over UConn, drew widespread scrutiny after Auriemma approached Staley in a tense on-court moment.
Although Auriemma later issued a public apology, Staley said she has not directly heard from him.
“That’s a Geno question… I haven’t heard from Geno,” she said, adding that she would address the situation at a later time.
Still, Staley remained firm in her approach—refusing to let controversy overshadow a milestone for the sport.
“Although we didn’t win, I can swallow it because we lost to a really good human being,” she added, referring to Close.
In the end, Staley’s message was one of perspective: even in defeat, there is space for respect, recognition, and celebration of the game’s growth.
