Dan Hurley Blasts Officials After UConn's Overtime Loss at Maui Invitational
Dan Hurley is not happy.
UConn lost its opening round game at the 2024 Maui Invitational 99–97 in an overtime heartbreaker against Memphis. During the contest, Hurley's sideline antics drew criticism from the college basketball world. His frequent berating of the game's officials was the focus of much of the condemnation.
After the game, Hurley addressed the officiating, including a call that went against UConn freshman Liam McNeeley in overtime. The 51-year-old head coach's reaction to that call earned him a technical foul.
Hurley said, "I had a lot of issues with what went on out there in the game. That over-the-back call at that point of the game. There was no attempt to block out, there was a player on Memphis that made a half-ass effort to rebound that basketball and Liam McNeeley high-pointed the rebound. For that call to be made at that point of the game was a complete joke."
Hurley wound up on his back in reaction to the call. He addressed that by saying, "For me, I don't know what happened. I might have lost my balance by the absurdity of the call, or maybe I tripped. But if I made that call at that point, I would have ignored the fact that I was on my back."
Here is the play and Hurley's reaction to it that earned him a technical foul:
UConn fell to 4-1 with the loss, while Memphis improved to 5-0.