UConn's Dan Hurley Blasts Bad Officiating After Memphis Loss: 'That Was A Joke'

The Huskies suffered their first loss of the season on Monday at the Maui Invitational

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The UConn Huskies were outplayed during large segments of Monday’s loss to the Memphis Tigers, but they certainly weren’t helped by the referees on duty.

UConn was called for various touch fouls in the first ten minutes of the game that put multiple Huskies in foul trouble, including Samson Johnson and Liam McNeeley.

UConn head coach Dan Hurley was irate from the opening tip over the officiating, and his raging disbelief only intensified as the game carried on, all the way into an unlikely overtime period.

With less than a minute remaining in a tie game, McNeeley was called for an over-the-back foul while snagging an offensive rebound, and Hurley fell to the floor over the whistle.

Hurley was subsequently assessed a technical foul. 

After the game, the two-time national championship head coach commented on the foul call and the officiating in general.

“That (call) was a joke,” Hurley said. “I just watched it. … that over-the-back call at the end of the game … there was no attempt to block out. There was a player on Memphis that made a (poor) effort to rebound that basketball, and Liam McNeeley high-pointed that rebound.”

“That call to be made at that point of the game was a complete joke. For me, I don’t know what happened. I might’ve 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. … I’ve never seen the one ref before. I didn’t even know he was a college ref … so I’m not surprised.”

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