Dan Hurley blasted officiating after UConn’s Memphis loss, but the refs got the last laugh

Dan Hurley has made a habit out of chewing out the officials on the UConn Huskies way to back-to-back national championships in men’s college basketball. On Monday, the refs finally got the last laugh on Hurley, and it cost his team the game.

The Memphis Tigers beat UConn, 99-97, in overtime in the opening round of the Maui Invitational. Memphis led by 13 points with only four minutes in regulation, but the Huskies stormed back to force overtime behind some clutch shot-making from freshman Liam McNeeley and sophomore Solo Ball. The fireworks really started in the extra period.

UConn had the ball with the score tied at 92 with about 40 seconds left. Star forward Alex Karaban missed a go-ahead three-pointer. McNeeley soared for the offensive rebound over a Tigers defender, but the refs called an over-the-back foul. Hurley lost his mind, and was given a rare technical foul by the refs. Watch Hurley’s outburst here.

Memphis guard PJ Carter went to the line for four straight free throws — two for the technical foul on Hurley, two for the foul on McNeeley — and knocked them all down. That was ball game.

Here’s a look at the offensive foul called on McNeeley:

Hurley was working the refs throughout the game like the he always does. The refs allowed him to get away with it before T’ing him up in crunch-time and changing the complexion of the game.

Hurley blasted the officiating after the game. Watch his comments here:

“For that call to be made at that point in the game is a complete joke,” Hurley said of the over-the-back call on McNeeley.

Hurley also refused to accept accountability for costing his team the win. These are two amazing quotes:

UConn had three players foul out in the loss. Memphis breaks a 17-game winning streak for the Huskies dating back to last season. It’s the first time UConn has lost since Feb. 20.