Geno Auriemma has released a statement on last night’s game against South Carolina. "There's no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina. It's unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina.

I really appreciate you. This means the world. I try.

Thank you!

Vic Schaefer on Rori Harmon as a WNBA draft prospect: “If I had a job in the WNBA, (she’d) be the first one I’d go get … She needs to go to the right team … If you want somebody that’s gonna set the tone and (no matter who you are), guard your ass, go get her.”

Madison Booker is crying, talking about playing with Rori Harmon: “That’s my sister … I’ve learned so much from her … I will always root for Rori no matter what … I wouldn’t be me without Rori Harmon. That’s a fact.” Harmon is also crying. Vic Schaefer is rubbing his eyes.

Rori Harmon just gave an impassioned plea on grace for Madison Booker: “Y’all gotta realize she’s human, and we want her to take those shots .. Please give a break.” Says that she didn’t care what Madison’s stats were, they were still going to go back to her and her shots weren’t why they lost.

I asked Rori Harmon on what Vic Schaefer means to her: “It really does mean a lot from the bottom of my heart … I really wanted to do it for him, and it stings a lot.” Harmon could barely get the words out. Cried. Says there are not enough time/words to describe him.

Kyla Oldacre. Rori Harmon. Vic Schaefer. Madison Booker. Vic Schaefer’s opening statement: “We feel like in our locker room, we let one get away. I feel like this one, will haunt me, probably a coach until the day I die.”

Thank you! Appreciate you. Trying to cover all the things today: USA Basketball, Expansion Draft, UCLA presser and we still have Texas’s presser up next.

Cori Close on what she told her team about playing Texas: “You cannot fall in love with pretty offense.” Says she told them as far back as Big Ten Tournament that they would have a game on the NCAA Tournament they would have to “grind it out” with their defense.

Cori Close on playing South Carolina on Sunday: “Dawn (Staley) is a standard bearer in our sport … All you can ask for is an opportunity to play your best basketball in a national championship.” Says they are confident (SC, too) and she’s enjoyed seeing her team’s growth.

Lauren Betts on how UCLA got to the national championship game: “We want this so bad for each other … We just want to earn more days with each other. We want to make history … Obviously, job’s not finished.”

Lauren Betts on her late block on Madison Booker and what she was thinking: “Alright, please block this. Just don’t let her score.”

Cori Close. Gabriela Jaquez. Lauren Betts. Gianna Kneepkens. Cori Close in her opening statement, jokingly: “It definitely was not a pretty game, that we played a rugby match with the 23 turnovers.” Close apologized to fans, but credited Texas for a tough game.

Geno Auriemma on what Dawn Staley said to refs/him flagging it to officials: “I just wanna make sure there’s not a double standard. I’m of the opinion if I talked to an official like that, I would get tossed.” Later says he isn’t suggesting Staley should get tossed.

Geno Auriemma on his motivation after his 25th Final Four: Auriemma, jokingly/chuckling: “After tonight, I don’t know that I wanna continue coaching.” “The motivation is to keep coming back here and try to win it again.”

Geno Auriemma says Sarah Strong didn’t rip her own jersey: “ She didn’t make a mistake. She said it was mistake … I’m just saying that there wasn’t a single foul call on us in the third quarter … you mean to tell me there was never a time when she got fouled? I find that hard to believe.”

Geno Auriemma says that this handshake isn’t what he was upset about pregame, but declines to specify what the issue with Staley was. Auriemma: “Anybody that's been in the NCAA Tournament, you know what I'm talking about.” 📸: MarchMadnessWBB on X

Geno Auriemma on what he said to Holly Rowe: “I have no regrets. Why would I?” Says he waited for 3 minutes for Dawn Staley to come shake his hand pregame. Called out Strong’s jersey being ripped. Also said he thinks Dawn Staley didn’t like what he had to say postgame.

We literally just asked him about it. Staley went first. Auriemma second. He declined to answer. “No. I said what I had to say. Nothing .”

Geno Auriemma on his exchange with Dawn Staley: “No. I said what I had to say. Nothing .”

I asked Azzi Fudd about her emotions being today being her last game: Fudd: “A lot of emotions …” Fudd then fell silent for several moments before crying. “Obviously, this isn’t how I wanted my career at to end … It doesn’t define us .. Guilty. I let team down today.”

Sarah Strong. Azzi Fudd. Geno Auriemma. Presser happening.

Dawn Staley on Geno Auriemma speaking to officials about her communication style with the refs: “I think that’s a Geno question.”

Truly appreciate @itsmeghanlhall.bsky.social for getting the tough question out of the way and setting up Coach Staley to talk about how SC flipped the script on UConn after those two losses last season. #WCBB #MarchMadness

I asked Dawn Staley what happened with Geno Auriemma in their exchange courtside: “You can ask Geno the question. I don’t want what happened there to hurt what we did today.”

Ta’Niya Latson on the message at halftime: “Coach was pretty mad at halftime. She was yelling, ‘Meet the moment! Meet the moment!’”

Ta’Niya Latson on going to the national championship: “This is why I came to South Carolina.” Says it was a personal sacrifice and a lot of people wouldn’t get that.

Dawn Staley. Agot Makeer. Ta’Niya Latson. Postgame presser happening.

What a win for South Carolina. Beat UConn at its own game. 62-48 the final score. Undefeated streak no more. Geno Auriemma seemingly did not shake hands with Dawn Staley when the final buzzer went off. He left the court.

Ashlynn Shade just picked up her first foul with 1:05 left. She was in shock. "That's bullsh--" to a nearby ref. UConn becoming frazzled. Usually very calm.

UConn has zero answer for South Carolina's bigs ... The exact issue last year in the Final Four.

Sarah Strong is wearing No. 55. Her jersey ripped. Normally wears 21.

Sarah Strong can't get the layup to go. South Carolina leads 44-39 at the end of 3. Buckle up, friends. UConn's undefeated streak is on the line.

Huge 3 by Blanca Quiñonez. Azzi Fudd for 3, too. Cuts South Carolina's lead to 1. UConn fans going wild. Diana Taurasi just cheering them on.

Diana Taurasi behind me (little further down) plus Swin Cash here at Mortgage Matchup Center.

South Carolina has UConn all sorts of off-balance. Timeout, Huskies. 36-28, South Carolina in the 3rd quarter with 5:25 left in the 3rd. Believe that’s the latest UConn has trailed all season.

UConn leads by 2 at halftime, 26-24, shooting 40% from the field, but Geno Auriemma was not happy about the Huskies' last possession. He was ranting about it with one of his assistants, and said several F bombs, including "F--- me."

Azzi Fudd's first points of the day come at the 2:26 mark of the second.

Diana Taurasi and Paige Bueckers are here. Just shown on the big board.

South Carolina opens second quarter with 6-1 run. UConn answers with 4 points. 21-20, South Carolina, with 4:28 left in the half.

Something to keep an eye on Azzi Fudd is scoreless after first quarter. Fudd averages 17.5 points a game, but has been struggling most of the tournament save the Syracuse game.

Agot Makeer to beat the buzzer - FOR 3. Crazy shot to tie it all at 15 at the end for the first.

Battle to watch: Joyce Edwards vs. Sarah Strong. Agot Makeer and Blanca Quiñonez are also in right now off each team's bench.

Timeout on the floor. UConn is up 11-8 at the 3:27 mark in the first. Already nailed two big 3-pointers, shooting 50% from the floor early. South Carolina is shooting 44%, but already has 4 turnovers. Not great. UConn making life hard for them, forcing tough shots.

South Carolina alumna and WNBA star Aliyah Boston is here. She’s chatting with hip hop legend Flavor Flav courtside. (Light Blue hat)

I am! Sitting in media row behind UConn bench for first game.

Lisa Leslie is here in Phoenix.

Olympian Ilona Maher, Natiesha Hiedeman and Courtney Williams are here. All three on are the ESPN courtside alt broadcast.

That’s an ESPN decision, but it was wild.