In a significant upset, the South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the UConn Huskies 62-48, ending their remarkable 54-game winning streak. The game was marred by a heated confrontation between UConn's head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina's head coach Dawn Staley, which occurred just before the final buzzer. Auriemma approached Staley at the scorer's table, leading to a tense exchange where both coaches voiced their frustrations. Joy Taylor, aunt of New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor, publicly criticized Auriemma's actions on social media, stating, "Now, Geno, we don't play about Dawn. A handshake? Sir." In the post-game press conference, Auriemma claimed Staley disrespected him by delaying their pre-game handshake and expressed his dissatisfaction with the officiating, suggesting a double standard in how the two coaches were treated. Staley defended her actions, asserting her integrity and downplaying the incident's impact on her team's achievement. With this victory, South Carolina moves on to compete in the National Championship game on April 5, aiming for their fourth title in a decade.