In one corner, South Carolina’s Dawn Staley, who is 3-0 in championship games. In the other, is UConn’s Geno Auriemma, who is 11-1 in title bouts.
Interestingly enough, the only championship loss on his resume was delivered by Staley’s Gamecocks in 2022.
Auriemma, in his 40th season at UConn, will face Staley, in her 18th season at South Carolina, for the 15th time Sunday afternoon. Make that 16th time if you count Auriemma coaching against Staley in the 1991 Final Four, when, as a point guard for Virginia, she defeated the Huskies.
Overall, Auriemma holds a 9-5 edge on Staley. It took Staley eight tries to beat UConn, but since 2020, she’s 5-2 against Auriemma.
The rivalry continues at Amalie Arena.
Here’s a look at their previous meetings:
Dec. 28, 2008
UConn 77, South Carolina 48
In their first meeting as coaches, Auriemma noticed a difference in the Gamecocks. They had played the previous season, but now that South Carolina hired Staley, he saw something. “They have (gotten better). They are a little more disciplined and a little more deliberate. They were able to stay in the game without it (getting away from them),” he said. “Last year, when they got behind, the game kind of took off. This group did a much better job of remaining in the game.”
Despite the blowout, South Carolina held Connecticut to its lowest point total of the season at that point.
Staley mentioned the Gamecocks had “nervousness” about playing the nation’s No. 1 team.
Feb. 9, 2015
UConn 87, South Carolina 62
Let’s call this the start of the rivalry. During blizzard conditions, fans lined up two hours before the sold-out game. They got to witness No. 2 UConn take down No. 1 South Carolina at the Gampel Pavilion with 22 points from Breanna Stewart. South Carolina had never beaten a team ranked higher than third at this point.
Final horn blows as No. 2 #UConn tops No. 1 South Carolina, 87-62, in front of a sold-out crowd at Gampel. #BleedBluepic.twitter.com/wLwAAqcUVY
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) February 10, 2015
Feb. 8, 2016
UConn 66, South Carolina 54
In another battle of No. 1 versus No. 2, top-ranked UConn came out ahead again. Stewart, Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson combined for 53 points in Columbia, S.C.
“These games are a lot of fun,” Stewart, who added 10 rebounds and five blocks, said.
Feb. 13, 2017
UConn 66, South Carolina 55
UConn recorded its 100th straight win. Gabby Williams scored a career-high 26 points and Napheesa Collier added 18 to help No. 1 UConn beat No. 6 South Carolina in front of a sell-out crowd that included UConn legends Stewart, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Tina Charles. South Carolina’s star duo of A’ja Wilson and Alaina Coates combined for 27 points. Though they didn’t meet in the tournament, South Carolina got the last laugh by winning ...
