UConn’s Dan Hurley called a controversial foul ‘a complete joke’ after his team faced an upset loss.
Hurley, known for his fiery demeanor, expressed his frustration regarding an over-the-back call during the closing moments of overtime, culminating in No. 2 UConn’s narrow 99-97 defeat against Memphis in the Maui Invitational’s opening round.
The pivotal foul was assessed to UConn’s Liam McNeeley while attempting an offensive rebound, with just 40.3 seconds left in a tied game. In a moment of disbelief, Hurley fell to his knees, receiving a technical foul that allowed Memphis’ PJ Carter to convert all four free throws, effectively sealing the victory for the Tigers.
This loss marked the end of UConn’s impressive 17-game winning streak dating back to last season, but the drama didn’t stop there.
“I had significant concerns with the officiating,” Hurley stated. “That over-the-back call at such a critical point was unfathomable. A Memphis player made minimal effort to secure the rebound while Liam McNeeley elevated to grab it. To call that foul in that moment was absurd.”
Hurley further elaborated on his dramatic fall to the floor.
“I honestly lost my balance due to the ridiculousness of the call, or perhaps I tripped,” he remarked. “If I were the referee making that call, I wouldn’t have even acknowledged being on the ground. The timing and context of that decision were simply beyond comprehension.”
He also expressed surprise at not recognizing one of the officials as a college referee and voiced dissatisfaction with the other two as well.
“I had never seen that particular referee before. I wasn’t aware he was a college official,” Hurley noted. “I’m familiar with the other two, so their performance didn’t surprise me.”
Hurley’s technical foul was one of two that sent Memphis to the free-throw line during the game. The other occurred early on when a team trainer reportedly made an inappropriate remark that caught the referees’ attention.
“The game started poorly when my medical trainer, who is typically very quiet, was assessed a technical foul for what was likely a comment made under his breath,” Hurley recounted. “It was an unfortunate situation.”
A third technical foul was given to Samson Johnson as part of a double-technical, which was particularly damaging as it marked his fifth foul and forced him out of the game during overtime.
“Samson faced constant physicality. His jersey was torn, yet he received no fouls called in his favor throughout the game,” Hurley explained. “He ended up with a ripped jersey, but the officials seemed to penalize him at every turn. It was incredibly frustrating.”
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway, who shared a handshake and warm embrace with Hurley post-game, celebrated the victory as the most significant of his coaching career.
“Facing back-to-back national champions in the first round of the Maui tournament was monumental,” Hardaway said. “When we learned we would be playing them, I knew we had to be ready. I used that as motivation for our team.”
The result concluded UConn’s impressive run, with the team not suffering a loss since February 20 against Creighton. Memphis maintained a lead for much of the game, while UConn made a commendable effort to rally from a 13-point deficit in the final minutes of regulation. However, the Tigers capitalized on their opportunities, earning 40 free throws compared to UConn’s 24.
“We anticipated a tough, physical matchup,” remarked UConn’s Alex Karaban. “That was part of our strategy. We knew they intended to play hard, and while we recognized the physicality, we didn’t consistently match their toughness. Ultimately, that falls on us.”
