South Carolina-UConn battle not over as coaches have their own postgame clash

The No. 1 UConn Huskies were looking for back-to-back national titles on Friday night, taking on the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks. In an intense game throughout, South Carolina gutted out a physical contest, winning 62-48 and spoiling the Huskies chances at a three-peat. 

But it wasn't without drama. Two of college basketball's most legendary head coaches in UConn's Geno Auriemma and South Carolina notched up the intensity. In the game's final seconds with the victory in-hand, Staley walked over to shake the Huskies head coach's hand. He did, but said something to Coach Staley shortly after. Things escalated from there, with both coaches exchanging pleasantries while assistants from both team tried holding them back: 

According to ESPN's Christine Williamson after the game on the ESPN broadcast, Coach Auriemma said Staley didn't shake his hand pregame. But at least from this photo posted from the official women's March Madness account before the game, it looks as though the two did indeed shake hands:

During the exchange, you can see Coach Staley appear to tell Geno that "she shook his hand." 

Rowe interviewed Staley after the game, and she asked what occurred between her and Geno. The Gamecocks head coach said she had no idea what happened. "I'm of integrity," Staley said to Rowe. "So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did. Sometimes things get heated. We move on."

Things were heated throughout this one. At the end of the third quarter, the Huskies trailed 44-39 in what was an intense game throughout. 

Coming out of the break, ESPN's Holly Rowe had a mid-game interview with Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma. He was heated during it, calling out Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley and   claimed the officials wasn't giving his team any calls: 

Upon replay, ESPN's cameras showed that Sarah Strong, whose jersey was ripped, actually ripped the jersey herself in frustration: 

After the game, Geno told reporters that Strong did not rip her own jersey, despite video showing otherwise:

Unsurprisingly, both coaches were asked what happened postgame in their respective pressers.

"You can ask Geno [Auriemma] the question," Staley said after the game via On3. He’s the one that initiated the conversation. I don’t want what happened there to dampen what we were able to accomplish today.”

When pressed about it again, Staley told reporters that it was a question for Geno. As for the UConn head coach, he didn't say much after, just that he said what he was going to say:

Geno then backtracked on the handshake claims with Staley, but declined to address what his issue was with her.

When you have 15 national titles between two coaches, tensions are bound to get tight.