Geno Auriemma Rips Officiating in UConn vs South Carolina Final Four
Auriemma's sideline rant and postgame clash with Dawn Staley sparked criticism from Stephen A. Smith and Lil Wayne.
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) A heated Final Four matchup between UConn and South Carolina turned into more than just a battle on the court, as emotions spilled over involving two of the biggest figures in women's college basketball. With the game hanging in the balance in Phoenix, Geno Auriemma delivered a fiery sideline interview that quickly became one of the night's most talked-about moments. Frustrated by what he saw as a lopsided whistle, the longtime UConn coach pointed to a significant gap in free throws between the teams.
"There were six fouls called that quarter. All of them against us," Auriemma said during the broadcast. "They've been beating the (expletive) out of our guys down there the entire game.
Now I'm not making excuses because we haven't been able to make a shot, but this is ridiculous. " The outburst came after a sequence involving UConn freshman Sarah Strong, who appeared on camera with a torn jersey. Auriemma used the moment to question the physicality allowed in the game and the lack of calls in his team's favor.
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