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Dan Hurley is a self-described “pathoglogical” and “obsessive” basketball coach.
But his over-the-top persona sometimes gets the better of him, and that was the case on Monday.
Hurley’s technical foul in overtime helped contribute to his team’s 99-97 overtime loss to Memphis in the first round of the Maui Invitational. The loss snapped a 17-game winning streak for the two-time defending NCAA champions — the nation’s longest — dating to last February at Creighton.
Texas transfer Tyrese Hunter led Memphis with 26 points, making 7-of-10 from deep.
PJ Haggerty added 22 points for Memphis.
UConn had six players in double-figures with Tarris Reed Jr. leading the way with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Alex Karaban scored 19 for UConn.
With the game tied at 92 and 40 seconds remaining in overtime, UConn freshman Liam McNeeley was whistled for an over-the-back foul.
Hurley, who had been giving it to the officials all game long, went nuts and called the official a “f–king joke,” and had to be restrained by associate head coach Kimani Young. He was promptly given a technical foul and PJ Carter hit four straight free throws to make it 96-92.
“I had a lot of issues with what went on out there in the game,” Hurley said of the officiating crew of Pat Driscoll, Stephen Anderson and Scott Brown, who called the Huskies for three technicals in the game and sent Memphis to the foul line 40 times compared to 24 for UConn.
He added: “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 that rebound. For that call to be made at that point in the game was a complete joke. Alright?
“And then for me, I don’t know what happened. I might’ve lost my balance by the absurdity of the call, or maybe I tripped.”
UConn twice got within 2 points down the stretch but couldn’t get over the hump.
“Credit Memphis, that was an awesome game,” Hurley told reporters afterwards. “It must have been an awesome game to watch. I’ve got a lot of respect for this team, I think it’s the best team that Penny (Hardaway) has had.”
Still, all the talk afterward was about the tech that Hurley drew.
“The difference really is the technical foul on Dan Hurley,” ESPN’s Jay Bilas said on air.
ESPN’s Seth Greenberg added in studio: “Unfortunately for UConn he overreacted. He was strung tight a good portion of this game. The officials had enough, they whack him. And in the end, that becomes the difference in the game.”
Added Greenberg: “Dan Hurley’s gonna learn from the situation. As emotionally connected he is with his team, he cannot, cannot, get a technical in that moment in time…and he’s gotta own that. A great leader has the ability to learn from their mistakes.”
Said ESPN’s Dalen Cuff: “The technical by Danny Hurley really changed the game.”
UConn — bidding for a historic three-peat — dropped to 4-1 on the season and will next play Colorado on Tuesday. Memphis advanced to meet Michigan State in the semifinals.
“UConn’s gonna be just fine,” Greenberg said. “That was a hardfought game against a good basketball team.”
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.
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