At least one person is dead and 60 others were injured at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium on Friday in Lima, Peru, authorities reported.

There seemed to be a crush of fans, as police said officers rescued people who were trapped as a result of the influx of fans in the south stands right before Alianza Lima played their biggest rival, Universitario, on Saturday. Fans attended a pregame “flag-waving event” at the stadium.

“We deeply regret the passing of our fan, Freddy Rony Cornetero Cueva. One of our own has left us, one of those who feel these colors in their soul. We accompany his family and loved ones with all our hearts,” Alianza Lima said in a statement on X on Saturday, which was translated to English.

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An ambulance is parked at Alejandro Villanueva Stadium in Lima, Peru, after an accident in the stands during a rally of Alianza Lima fans. At least one person died and 47 others were injured, including three minors, according to Peru’s Ministry of Health. April 3, 2026. (Connie France/AFP via Getty Images)

The Ministry of Health initially reported the collapse of a wall inside the stadium, but both the team and the police denied that in separate statements. Fire brigadier Marcos Pajuelo said that dozens of injured people were taken to the hospital, in addition to the fatality.

He said the cause is currently unknown. Officials are investigating the cause of the incident.

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Relatives wait at the entrance of Alejandro Villanueva Stadium in Lima, Peru, after an accident in the stands during a rally of Alianza Lima fans before the match against Universitario. The Ministry of Health reported at least one death and that dozens of others were injured, including three minors. April 3, 2026. (Connie France/AFP via Getty Images)

In the club’s statement, they promised full transparency to the authorities.

Videos broadcast by local television stations showed a large crowd of fans in the south stands amid an explosion of fireworks. Other videos showed apparently injured people sitting in the stands inside the stadium.

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Relatives wait at the entrance of Alejandro Villanueva Stadium in Lima, Peru, after an accident in the stands during a rally of Alianza Lima fans. At least one person died and dozens of others were injured, including three minors, the Ministry of Health reported. April 3, 2026. (Connie France/AFP via Getty Images)

Despite the incident on Friday night, the Peruvian professional soccer league said the team’s match on Saturday will proceed as planned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Across all sports and all levels, coaches tell their players to use their heads. However, Highland center fielder Jake Shields used his head in a completely different sense and had a Jose Canseco moment.

In Highland’s 8-4 loss to Butler in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday at McDonald Stadium in Kansas, Butler designated hitter Tanay Vyas hit a high fly ball to right-center field with a runner on first base with two outs in the bottom of the third inning.

Shields ran over to make the play, shielding the sun with his glove and his sunglasses, but completely misjudged the ball. Instead of catching the fly ball, it landed on his head and bounced over the wall for an improbable home run to make it 3-1.

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Former Oakland Athletics player Jose Canseco speaks to fans as the Athletics inducted him into the team’s Hall of Fame before the game against the San Francisco Giants in Oakland, California, on Aug. 17, 2024. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Shields’ blunder was reminiscent of Jose Canseco’s infamous outfielder blunder in 1988. Carlos Martinez, a designated hitter for the Cleveland Indians, hit a fly ball to the warning track in right field.

Canseco, an outfielder for the Texas Rangers at the time, ran to the wall to try to catch the ball, but missed it. The ball hit off his head and bounced up and over the wall for a home run.

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Former Oakland Athletics outfielder Jose Canseco stands on the field before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California, on July 21, 2024. (Darren Yamashita/USA TODAY Sports)

Shields was well short of the warning track in the outfield when the ball hit his head, meaning the ball bounced at least 30 feet off his head and over the wall for a two-run home run. The college baseball player bent over and held his head.

“Oh! Right off his forehead,” the announcer said. “Oh my, Jake Shields is going to feel that for a long time.”

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Former Oakland Athletics outfielder Jose Canseco sits in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California, on Aug. 17, 2024. (Darren Yamashita/USA TODAY Sports)

The main difference between Shields’ and Canseco’s miscues were how far the ball bounced off their heads. Canseco was right next to the wall, while Shields wasn’t even near the warning track.

Unfortunately for Highland, Shields’ blunder was the beginning of a tough four-game series against the Butler Grizzlies, as they swept the series.

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Bath came back from a disappointing first half to progress through to the Champions Cup quarter-finals with a 31-22 win over Saracens; they will face fellow English club Northampton Saints in the quarter-finals at home next weekend

Joe Cokanasiga scored Bath’s second try to turn around the game in the second half

Bath turned to a quartet of their England backs to turn the tide as they edged into the Champions Cup quarter-finals with a 31-22 victory over Saracens.

Trailing 10-0 at the interval at the Recreation Ground, the hosts burst into life with tries from Henry Arundell, Joe Cokanasiga, Ben Spencer and Ollie Lawrence as they set up a last-eight appointment at home against Northampton.

Spencer’s 59th-minute finish of an audacious attack that began on their own try-line looked to be pivotal but the determined Saracens refused to throw in the towel and were only truly beaten when Arundell ran in his second try in the 80th minute.

Bath’s scrum needed rescuing after a humbling first half with the introduction of prop Thomas du Toit making the difference with the South African tighthead also being named man of the match.

Unlike their visit to the Recreation Ground a fortnight ago when they were overwhelmed 62-15, it was clear Saracens meant business from the start as they halted an early Bath onslaught including holding up a forward drive over the line.

Having proved their mettle in defence, they surged ahead in the 14th minute when Charlie Bracken deceived Cokanasiga with a dummy from the base of a maul and raced over.

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Bath’s scrum was beginning to buckle and they were also suffering at the breakdown, but the visitors were their own worst enemies at times with Fergus Burke failing to find touch with a penalty.

Rhys Carre rampaged into space and Noah Caluori almost crossed in the left corner before Guy Pepper was shown a yellow card for cynically heading the ball away on the floor.

So many elements of Saracens’ game were firing but the points they deserved proved elusive with an Owen Farrell penalty their only other score in a half they had controlled.

Henry Arundell scored Bath’s first try

To punish their wastefulness, Arundell sprinted across after being released by Charlie Ewels early in the second half and then Cokanasiga scooped up a loose ball to weave over after Lawrence had carried into space.

The tries sandwiched a dramatic reversal in the scrum with Beno Obano sin-binned for a cumulation of penalties before Du Toit forced a penalty, providing Cokanasiga with the platform to score.

Bath led for the first time and then produced the highlight of the afternoon by stopping Saracens from scoring by dislodging the ball from Andy Onyeama-Christie as he ran at the line before strking with a move that began from their own whitewash.

Cokanasiga escaped the 22, found Alfie Barbeary who waited for Spencer and the England scrum-half had gas to finish from long range.

Bath will play Northampton Saints in the quarter-finals

Maro Itoje and then Ivan van Zyl burst through the breakdown and Saracens were far from done as a period of pressure ended with Max Malins touching down in the left corner.

But Harry Wilson was the next to see yellow for a dangerous tackle on Miles Reid and soon after Lawrence crashed over from close range before Caluori replied for Saracens, but Bath ultimately had the final say at the death through Arundell.

Gold Glove-winning outfielder Cody Bellinger made a compelling case for catch of the year in the New York Yankees’ home opener against the Miami Marlins on Friday.

The highlight-reel grab came in the ninth inning on a deep drive by Marlins infielder Xavier Edwards.

New York Yankees’ Cody Bellinger gestures after hitting a double during the fifth inning of the home opener against the Miami Marlins in New York on April 3, 2026. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)

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Bellinger sprinted 62 feet and tracked the ball well but misjudged it at the last moment, and it glanced off his wrist. Mid-jump, he swung his arm around and snagged the ball at around knee level. 

Fans at Yankee Stadium erupted as Bellinger looked at his glove in disbelief, but the former Los Angeles Dodgers star wouldn’t call the acrobatic save his smartest play.

New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger catches a fly ball hit by Miami Marlins’ Xavier Edwards during the ninth inning of the home opener in New York on April 3, 2026. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)

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“I should have caught it the first time,” he said, adding that he “squeezed” his glove too early.

“I definitely got lucky. Threw my glove out there.”

The Yankees are off to their second 6-1 start in three seasons after Aaron Judge hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the first inning to help the team secure an 8-2 win over the Marlins in the Bronx. 

Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees celebrate after defeating the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium in New York on April 3, 2026. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos)

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Miami entered the game at 5-1, matching its franchise-best start.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg etched his name into the history books on Friday.

Flagg, 19, became the first teenager in NBA history to score over 50 points in a game, scoring 51 points during the team’s 138-127 loss to the Orlando Magic at the American Airlines Center. While Flagg himself had a great game, for him, winning is his main focus.

“It’s always fun getting into that type of mode,” Flagg said. “The basket feels big. My teammates are looking out for you, helping you out. But I like to win. That was my main focus. It’s hard for me to fully enjoy myself out there when we’re down 20, down 10, down 15, for the majority of the game.”

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Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg watches from the bench during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on April 3, 2026. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

Flagg erupted for 24 points in the fourth quarter after head coach Jason Kidd and teammate Naji Marshall were ejected after complaining about a no-call on the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg appreciated the support from his coach and teammates.

“It’s great to see,” Flagg said. “I already know that coach has my back and Naji … I know he has my back for sure out there. Just seeing their emotion, seeing them fight for me and fight for the calls. Definitely some emotion, and motivated me even further.”

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Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd talks to referee Eric Lewis after he was ejected in the second half of an NBA game against the Orlando Magic in Dallas, Texas, on April 3, 2026. (Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo)

The Mavericks were down 30 when Flagg started his fourth-quarter scoring barrage in what ended up being their 14th consecutive home loss. It is the longest home losing streak since the Mavericks lost the first 19 games at the since-demolished Reunion Arena in 1993-94.

Flagg, who in 65 games this season has averaged 20.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, is in a heated race with former Duke teammate and Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel for Rookie of the Year. Kidd believes Flagg should win the award, comparing him to Michael Jordan.

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Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on April 3, 2026. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

“He should be rookie of the year,” Kidd said. “It’s unbelievable. The country’s not watching the same thing we get to watch on a daily basis. He’s in rare air. He’s with the GOAT when you talk about MJ and what he did in his rookie year. And as a teenager, to see what Cooper’s doing, just the excitement, the joy, playing the game, win or lose, his spirit, is about winning. Right now we’re not.”

Flagg’s rookie season will continue when the Mavericks (24-53) host the Los Angeles Lakers (50-27) on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The Final Four is set for Saturday night in Indianapolis, as Michigan, Arizona, Illinois and UConn will all fight to reach the national championship game slated for Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

But only one of those four teams will emerge as NCAA Tournament champions, and one college basketball legend already has his pick for who will be cutting down the nets on Monday night.

Jimmer Fredette, the BYU great who had his “One Shining Moment” in March Madness back in 2011, has been following the intense games throughout the tournament to get to this point. He knows exactly who he’s riding with the rest of the way.

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Former Brigham Young basketball player Jimmer Fredette waves during a ceremony to retire his number at halftime of a game between the Cougars and the Colorado Buffaloes at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, on Feb. 14, 2026. (Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

“I honestly have Michigan right now. I have Michigan winning it all,” he told Fox News Digital in a recent interview, while highlighting his partnership with Coca-Cola and their “Fan Work Is Thirsty Work” campaign for the tournament.

It’s hard not to love everything the No. 1 seed out of the Midwest Region has been putting together in this tournament. The Wolverines, led by head coach Dusty May in his second season, have simply dominated the competition they’ve faced thus far.

In fact, Michigan has won by double digits in each of their four tournament games, including a rout of No. 6 Tennessee, 95-62, in the Elite Eight to secure a spot in the Final Four. They’re led by forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who averaged 15.2 points this season, but is tallying 25 per contest here in the tournament.

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“I just think their length and their size is so unique,” Fredette explained. “They can play multiple different ways, but that just poses a real problem for people, especially in the tournament. It’s hard to gameplan for on a single-game basis. Obviously, they haven’t lost many games this year, and if they did lose a game, they were very close. You know that when you’re playing against them, it’s going to be a fight. It’s going to be a battle.”

Fredette added that May coaching in the Final Four previously with Florida Atlantic University (2023) will play a key factor for the Wolverines as well.

Yaxel Lendeborg of the Michigan Wolverines reacts after being fouled and scoring during the second half of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Elite Eight game against the Tennessee Volunteers at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., on March 29, 2026. Michigan won 95-62. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

But Arizona, the No. 1 seed out of the West Region, could match up well against Michigan on Saturday night. While Michigan has lost just three games this season, the Wildcats have only lost two in a tough Big 12 Conference schedule.

The way Fredette sees it, this Final Four matchup is basically a national championship matchup before the actual game.

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“Arizona’s playing great right now,” he said. “In my opinion, that’s kind of a national championship matchup with those two teams. They’re big, they’re long, they’re athletic. They’re playing great basketball. But you never know.”

As for the other matchup – No. 2 UConn, coming off a thrilling end to upset No. 1 Duke, and No. 3 Illinois – Fredette also has a winner there.

“Obviously, UConn and Illinois are both playing well. I think Illinois, in my opinion, is going to beat UConn, and I think it’s going to be Illinois and Michigan in the final, and Michigan winning it all. So, we’ll see. I’ll probably be completely wrong. That’s how it works in this tournament. But that’s what I see right now, and Michigan’s playing some of the best basketball you can play.”

3×3 basketball athlete Jimmer Fredette speaks during the Team USA Media Summit at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on April 17, 2024. (Dustin Satloff/Getty Images for the USOPC)

As Fredette said, the tournament finds a way to make the craziest things happen on a basketball court, living up to the March Madness moniker.

It will be UConn-Illinois to begin the festivities in Indianapolis on Saturday night at 6:09 p.m. ET, followed by Michigan-Arizona.

THE PERFECT CUP FOR MARCH

From buzzer-beaters to overtime thrillers, this year’s men’s tournament has had it all in terms of intense, edge-of-your-seat basketball. But that can be thirsty work for fans across the country, which is why Coca-Cola launched its “Fan Work is Thirsty Work” campaign, which celebrates the fans behind the tournament’s Cinderella stories.

Who doesn’t love the feel-good, Cinderella story of the tournament? While there may be top seeds still left in the bracket, moments like High Point upsetting Wisconsin in the first round, VCU shocking UNC in overtime, and more have truly powered this year’s fun in March.

The Coca-Cola Glass Sipper is a real size 11 basketball sneaker-shaped cup meant to embrace March Madness in this year’s tournament. (Coca-Cola)

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And to be sure fans are enjoying Coca-Cola the right way, the brand introduced the “Coca-Cola Glass Sipper,” an ode to the famous children’s story that is a custom size 11 basketball sneaker-shaped cup to celebrate the team and fan base whose tournament journey most defies expectations.

“That’s what March Madness is all about – it’s about the energy, and that’s what Coca-Cola wants to have in their campaign,” Fredette said. “They want to capture how much fans put into every game, and for me, I love the fans. I love playing in front of packed crowd. They were rowdy, they had such loyalty to their schools, and that obviously transitions into the March Madness tournament. Everyone is a part of it because everyone fills out a bracket. They want to see the Cinderella stories. They want to see their brackets go well, [and] they want to pick the right Cinderella. Coke wants to capture that.”

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The UConn women’s basketball team’s quest to 40-0 ended on Friday after one of their worst performances in recent memory.

Winning each of its first 38 games of the season, the Huskies were outscored by 16 points in the final 20 minutes to fall to fellow No. 1 seed South Carolina, 62-48, in the Final Four.

The bout was a rematch of last year’s national championship, which the Huskies won for a storybook ending to UConn alum Paige Bueckers’ career.

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South Carolina guard Agot Makeer and UConn guard Kayleigh Heckel scramble for the ball during the second half of the women’s NCAA basketball tournament semifinal at the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3, 2026. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)

It’s the fourth time in the last five years that the Gamecocks are back in the national championship, while the Huskies had won 54 straight dating back to last year.

Ta’Niya Latson scored 16 points, and Agot Makeer added 14 with South Carolina playing stifling defense. UConn (38-1) entered the Final Four undefeated for the ninth time in school history, and for the third straight time left without a title. The Huskies also lost in the 2017 and 2018 national semifinals.

This was the fewest points UConn had scored since putting up 49 points in a national championship game loss to the Gamecocks in 2022.

South Carolina guards Tessa Johnson and Agot Makeer celebrate after defeating UConn in the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

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Leading 46-44 a few minutes into the third quarter, South Carolina scored five straight points, capped by Agot Makeer’s 3-pointer to extend the advantage to seven.

UConn’s Sarah Strong hit a 3-pointer to get the Huskies back within 51-47 with 4:39 left, but the Huskies didn’t score again until Strong hit a free throw with 30.8 seconds left, after South Carolina had scored 11 straight points.

Strong, who was honored as the AP Player of the Year on Thursday, had 12 points and 12 rebounds, but went 4 for 16 from the field. Azzi Fudd had just eight points for the Huskies, making only 3-of-15 shots.

UConn had its worst shooting night of the season, finishing 19 for 61 (31.1%) from the field.

The game was headlined by a heated postgame exchange between coaches Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley.

Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks argues with Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies during the second half of an NCAA Women’s Final Four semifinal game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 3, 2026. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

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The Gamecocks will now face UCLA on Sunday for the national championship.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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EDMONTON – The Edmonton Oilers didn’t make any flashy moves at the NHL trading deadline, but general manager Stan Bowman did obtain some impactful defensive-minded players who have contributed significantly to the team’s five-game winning streak.

Bowman and coach Kris Knoblauch knew the team has plenty of offensive firepower, led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, so their focus was trying to shore up a leaky defensive system that had the team struggling to find a consistent winning formula.

“We felt going into the deadline we had enough offence,” Knoblauch said. “What we wanted was to get better defensively and we have gotten better. A lot of it was emphasis on what we can do with our systems, just details, but also we added two very defensive detailed players.”

Bowman acquired forward Jason Dickinson and defenceman Connor Murphy from Chicago and the two have played a lot of minutes against opponents’ top lines.

“With Dickinson and Murphy playing a lot of minutes against key matchups … those two have really solidified our identify and how we want to play,” said Knoblauch.

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Murphy settled in alongside Darryl Nurse and that duo has become a solid second pairing on the blue line behind Mattis Ekholm and Evan Bouchard.

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“I think we get excited because that’s our strength, wanting to defend hard and be thinking that way together,” Murphy said. “I see the competitiveness in (Nurse). He’s a fiery competitor and he wants to be physical and tough and be hard to play against. I feed off that energy that he brings.”

Murphy said knowing exactly what their role is has made it an easy transition.

“Every player wants to know what’s expected of you and you want that to align with what your strengths are,” he said. “So for us to be able to have a role that’s designated to our strengths really feeds good energy to our game.”

Bouchard said Murphy has been a great addition to the Oilers, who shifted their focus to an improved defence when Draisaitl was injured March 8. The star forward isn’t expected to return before the playoffs.

“He’s as solid as it comes,” Bouchard said of Murphy. “Hard guy to play against, great fit in our group, great addition, great guy to have in the room and it’s showing on the ice as well.”

Bouchard’s improved play since the Olympic break has also played a key role in the team’s defensive strides. Despite his occasional and often costly turnovers, Bouchard has a plus-22 rating, second on the team to Ekholm.

“Definitely a slow start for me,” the seven-year veteran admitted. “But things have picked up (at) a good time with the playoffs around the corner.”

For Dickson and Murphy, their motivation is to get to the playoffs for the first time after years of being on the outside in Chicago.

“For games to be meaningful and matter it’s huge,” Dickson said. “The last few years it’s been basically counting down the days and waiting for summer, back to the gym, getting reps in to prepare for the next season. Now it’s preparing for the next chapter of the season.”

The Oilers have six games remaining and they’re all against divisional opponents.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

The Nets suffered a 141-107 beating at the hands of Atlanta before a sellout crowd of 17,548 at Barclays Center.

Brooklyn (18-59) remained tied for second in the lottery race, keeping pace with Indiana. The Nets are ½-game behind first-place Washington, and two clear of Sacramento pending the Kings’ tilt with the visiting Pelicans later on Friday night.

Center Nic Claxton had a team-high 16 points and five rebounds, while Malachi Smith added 15 off the bench.

Guard Trevon Scott, inked on a 10-day contract, had six points in his debut. Noah Clowney was ejected with 5:35 left in the third quarter.

CJ McCollum had a game-high 25 points for the Hawks, who have won 19 of 22.

Michael Porter Jr. and rookie Danny Wolf both went from presumably out for the season to officially ruled out by Nets coach Jordi Fernández.

“Yeah, well, obviously you guys know Day’Ron [Sharpe] is out. With Mike and Danny, based on where we are right now — and based on where they’re at with their rehab, and we only have one week left — they’ll be out just from where they are,” Fernández said. “So that’s the update of those two.”

It’s an update that will shock no one.

Porter hasn’t played since March 10, suffering from a strained left hamstring. He’ll end his season averaging a career-high 24.2 points on 46.3/36.3/85.9 shooting splits.

Wolf, the last of Brooklyn’s record five first-round picks, sprained his ankle March 22 and will end his rookie campaign averaging 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds. He raised that to 10.8 points and 5.6 boards in his final 22 games.

“Yeah, they both have been very positive stories for us,” Fernández said. “[Wolf] being a rookie showed he belongs, and he’s been able to do very different things. Danny, from shooting the ball to playmaking to rebounding to being that primary ballhandler, playing off the ball, different lineups, I’m very happy with him.

“Obviously efficiency is important. We believe he’s a very good shooter. His playmaking efficiency has gotten better from college. And then defensively. … He surprised a lot of people. He didn’t surprise us. We felt like he could do all those things and keep bodies in front, keep guys in front of the ball and guard smaller guys. So he’s been very, very good.

“And then Michael in a new situation, being on the same team for seven years on a championship team and now having a different role, a different situation, everything has been also very positive. He’s played at an All-Star level. In my opinion, he should’ve been an All-Star. Now I want him to come back and have a chip on his shoulder, lead the team the way he’s been doing.”

Porter could be traded this summer. He’s also eligible for an extension of up to four years, $243 million, though would certainly command far less. Asked what Porter had shown the organization, Fernández said, “For that you’ve got to ask Sean [Marks, GM]. But me personally, he’s been put in a different role and he’s performed very well. He’s represented himself and the club very well.”

The Nets signed Trevon Scott to a 10-day contract. … Nic Claxton and Noah Clowney were upgraded to available against the visiting Hawks.

Friday’s women’s March Madness game between UConn and South Carolina saw an eruption of tempers boiled over as two of the game’s sport’s most legendary coaches got into engaged in a heated sideline confrontation.

UConn’s Geno Auriemma and South Carolina’s Dawn Staley were seen shouting aggressively at each other in the closing moment moments of the game. South Carolina was on the verge of a 62-48 win in the Final Four, when With South Carolina closing in on a 62-48 Final Four win, Auriemma approached Staley, and the exchange began to speak to her aggressively, before the conversation devolved into quickly escalated into a visible shouting match.

After the game, Auriemma did not shake Staley’s hand.

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UConn head coach Geno Auriemma watches a play late in the second half of a Sweet 16 game of the NCAA college basketball tournament against North Carolina in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 27, 2026. (LM Otero/AP)

Staley addressed the incident in an interview with ESPN immediately afterward.

“I have no idea, but I’m going to let you know this, I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity,” Staley said. “So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did, I guess he thought I didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game, I didn’t know, I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff’s hand, I don’t know what we came with after the game, but hey sometimes things get heated. We move on.”

Auriemma was seen shaking Staley’s hand in ESPN footage before the game.

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UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts to a play during the first half of a Sweet 16 game of the NCAA college basketball tournament against North Carolina in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 27, 2026. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)

Auriemma addressed the incident in the postgame press conference.

“I don’t want what happened there to dampen what we were able to accomplish today,” Staley said.

Meanwhile, Auriemma expressed displeasure with Staley and the referees during an in-game interview on ESPN.

“There were six fouls called that quarter — all of them against us,” Auriemma said on the broadcast. “And they’ve been beating the (expletive) out of our guys down there the entire game. I’m not making excuses, ’cause we haven’t been able to make a shot. But this is ridiculous.

“Their coach rants and raves on the sideline and calls the referee some names you don’t want to hear. And now we get 6 to 0, and I got a kid with a ripped jersey, and they go, ‘I didn’t see it.’ Come on, man. It’s for a national championship.”

After the game, Auriemma declined to elaborate on the incident.

“I said what I had to say and… nothing… nothing,” he said when asked what happened with Staley, refusing to tell reporters what he said.

“Why would I say it. I said what I said and obviously she didn’t like it. I just told the truth.”

Auriemma later addressed the speculation over the handshake pre-game and his mid-game interview.

“I don’t have any regrets,” Auriemma said of his mid-game interview.

“I’ve been coaching a long time, I never had a kid have to change their jersey because somebody ripped it and the official said they didn’t see it. There were a lot of things that happened in that game. Unless you’re on that sideline you have no idea what’s happening on that sideline…

“The protocol is, before the game, you meet at halfcourt, anybody ever see that before? The two coaches meet at halfcourt and they shake hands… they announce it on the loud speaker. I waited there for like three minutes.”

Footage of the shouting exchange quickly went viral on social media, with many fans shocked to two of women’s basketball’s most respected figures clash so publicly.

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Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks argues with Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies during the second half of an NCAA Women’s Final Four semifinal game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 3, 2026. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

ESPN star Stephen A. Smith blasted Auriemma for the incident in an X post.

“That was some straight B.S. from the GREAT Geno Auriemma. Never — ever — thought I’d see the day when the greatest woman’s college coach in history would go down so CLASSLESSLY!!! Horrible look, and should be called out for it. He got OUTCOACHED,” Smith wrote. “Plain and simple. And gets in her face like she did something wrong to him instead of being gracious. Had Dawn Staley acted like that we would be all over her.”

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