South Carolina’s Staley defends team after Auriemma comments

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley stronglydefended her top-ranked Gamecocks on Tuesday following criticalcomments by UConn coach Geno Auriemma two days earlier.

Auriemma said after the top-ranked Gamecocks’ 81-77 victory thatHuskies guard/forward Lou Lopez Senechal had bruises on her bodyfrom the game.

“It’s just appalling what teams do to her now,” he said. “It’snot basketball anymore. I don’t know what it is, but it’s notbasketball.”

Staley fired back Tuesday on her radio call-in show, saying whenher team has success, “we’re called something other than playersthat are locked in.”

“They play the right way,” she continued, “and approach it theright way whether they win or lose. We don’t denounce anybody’splay. They are always uplifting the game of women’s basketball andwhen we were getting our heads beat in by UConn for all thoseyears, I said nothing.”

South Carolina’s victory Sunday was its fourth in the past fivemeetings between the schools, including the national championshipgame last April.

Staley’s South Carolina teams had been 0-7 against UConn beforetheir recent run of success.

“We’ve been called so many things and I’m sick of it,” Staleysaid. “I’m sick of it because I coach some of the best human beingsthe game has ever had.”

South Carolina (23-0, 10-0) visits Auburn on Thursdaynight.