Staley lauds UCLA's Close after title game loss, Auriemma spat - ESPN

PHOENIX — After a weekend of dealing with the aftermath from the on-court spat with UConn coach Geno Auriemma, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley spent much of her time postgame Sunday heaping praise on UCLA coach Cori Close.

The Bruins earned their first NCAA women's basketball championship in a wire-to-wire 79-51 victory over the Gamecocks.

Staley spoke glowingly of Close, and that was a stark difference from the way she addressed Auriemma.

«I'm always happy for people that worked hard in this game, who are really quality people,» Staley said. «I want good things to happen for them. Cori is one of those people who really works at making our game better. Not just UCLA, but our entire game.»

Close will bring the championship trophy back to Los Angeles in her 15th season at the helm. Staley understood that struggle and journey because she didn't win it all until her 17th year as a head coach, including her first eight at Temple.

Staley, a two-time AP Coach of the Year, addressed a report on the ABC and ESPN broadcast from Rebecca Lobo that Auriemma had reached out to Staley after he released a statement Saturday to apologize for his actions.

In the waning seconds of UConn's 62-48 loss to South Carolina on Friday in the national semifinal, Auriemma approached Staley for a postgame handshake, then angrily got in her face before Staley responded. The two were separated, and Auriemma walked off to the tunnel alone.

«There's no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina,» Auriemma said in a statement issued through the school.

He mentioned «the staff» and «the team» in the statement, but did not mention Staley by name.

Staley said she hadn't heard from Auriemma, despite the report. She added that she has