"They were just too good for us": When Geno Auriemma got 100% real after UConn lost to South Carolina in 2022 NCAA Tournament championship game

UConn coach Geno Auriemma has won more national titles than any other coach in college basketball history. However, the one time that he lost a championship game was in April 2022, when South Carolina beat his Huskies 64-49.

In his post-game press conference, Auriemma said that the Gamecocks were better than his team on the day, and during the course of the season. Auriemma said (0:32):

"Obviously, when you play in a game like this and you don't win, it's just incredibly difficult. You know, to be in the locker room. I've been in the other locker room a lot of times, so I know what that feels like. And I've been in this locker room and I know what that feels like. One team is gonna be the national champion and the other is not.

"And I think they deserved it, 100%. They were the best team all year. In the first five minutes I thought they came out and they set the tone right then and there, for how the game was going to be played. We were pretty much even the rest of the time and gave ourselves a chance. Cut the [deficit] to five points, but we just didn't have enough.

He added:

"I'm proud of our guys just to get here and to be in this situation and tonight we just didn't have enough. They were just too good for us."

Auriemma had won all 11 of the national title games that his UConn team played in until 2022.

South Carolina's Destanni Henderson scored a game-high 26 points, with four assists and two rebounds. Her teammates Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke scored 11 points each.

For UConn, Paige Bueckers recorded a team-high 14 points. However, no other Huskies player scored double-digit points.

Geno Auriemma got the better of South Carolina in rematch of national championship in 2025

NCAA Womens Basketball: UConn coach Geno Auriemma - Source: Imagn

Geno Auriemma got his revenge against South Carolina in the 2025 national title game on Sunday. The Huskies crushed the Gamecocks 82-59 at Alamie Arena on Sunday.

Huskies legend Paige Bueckers managed to get her hands on the championship in her final collegiate game. It was also Auriemma's record-extending 12th national title and his first since 2016.