Dawn Staley unfazed by "get back" narrative as South Carolina faces UConn for the first time since 29-pt loss

Dawn Staley’s South Carolina and Geno Auriemma’s UConn will face off for the second time in the last three months, while it will be their second meeting in the national championship game in four years. This has been tagged a ‘get back’ clash for either team, a tag Staley has downplayed.

The Huskies will be looking to avenge the 64-49 defeat against South Carolina in 2022’s national championship game, while the Gamecocks will also see this as an opportunity to get payback for the 87-58 loss in February.

South Carolina has already avenged their regular-season loss to Texas with a 74-57 win in the Final Four matchup, and now has the chance to do so against UConn.

The reigning NCAA champions have downplayed any notion of a ‘get back’, a thought that was first echoed by forward Sania Feagin.

Head coach Dawn Staley also shared her thoughts on the same.

"It's our standard that we really just try to apply every day we're out there as a team," Staley said. "To understand what our standard is individually and collectively and the 'get back' will be within that. If we're able to play within our standards and habits, things will take care of themselves."

Staley and the Gamecocks have an opportunity to become the first team to defend the national title since Auriemma won four in a row with the Huskies from 2013 to 2016.

How has Dawn Staley fared against Geno Auriemma?

Connecticut v South Carolina - Source: Getty

This will be the 15th meeting between Staley and Auriemma, since the Philadelphia native took over as head coach of South Carolina. The Gamecocks coach is 5-9 in her meetings against the veteran coach. However, those five wins have come in her last seven matchups with Auriemma.

When it comes to the NCAA Tournament, they have faced off twice, including in the 2022 national championship game. The second time was in 2017-18, when UConn won 94-65 in an Elite Eight matchup.

Dawn Staley remains the only coach to beat Auriemma in a title matchup, while February’s 29-point loss to UConn was South Carolina's joint-fifth biggest loss under the head coach.