Another day, another Dan Hurley vs. the refs moment! At this point, UConn making headlines isn’t even about their performances, it’s about their coach constantly finding himself at the center of heated debates, fan outrage, and questionable interactions with officials. The Huskies are still on track for the NCAA Tournament, but things aren’t looking as smooth as they did a few weeks ago. With eight losses and a fourth-place standing in the Big East (just 1.5 games ahead of Villanova), slipping up against the Wildcats isn’t exactly an option.  

Especially after they let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers, blowing a lead to Seton Hall (7-18, 2-12 in Big East play) and losing in overtime. Now, against Villanova, unlike their last meeting this season, they managed to win 66-59. But in the second half, the Huskies were trailing and if you ask coach Hurley? It’s the officials who are to blame.

However, UConn men didn’t let that slow them down. They pulled off a wild comeback, fueled by Liam McNeeley and Tarris Reed Jr. These two combined to score UConn’s last 17 points, putting the Huskies on their backs and dragging them to victory. 

McNeeley was everywhere, finishing with 20 points on a perfect 7-for-7 night from the line, plus seven rebounds. Reed was just as clutch, adding 13 points, nine boards, and three assists. Solo Ball was the only Husky hitting threes for most of the game, but McNeeley finally broke through late with a huge triple. And not to forget Hassan Diarra (back in the starting lineup) contributing eight points.

But it wasn’t all pretty. 

The XL Center crowd was restless early as UConn struggled to get going, making just one of their first 10 shots. Even in the second half, UConn was looking at a 14-point deficit with under 12 minutes left. But Hurley’s crew ripped off a 13-3 run. And finally, with the shot clock ticking down, Ball found a cutting Reed, who bobbled the pass, barely controlled it, and got it up just in time to tie the game at 58. 

Moments later, McNeeley gave UConn their first lead since 2-0 with two clutch free throws. Ball found Reed again for a monster slam, putting the Huskies up four with just over a minute to go. No blowing this one. Reed kept attacking the rim, McNeeley stayed perfect from the line, and UConn sealed the deal.

But despite the comeback, the biggest talking point wasn’t even the win. It was Dan Hurley… again. 

Fans demand Big East action after Dan Hurley’s latest sideline meltdown

With 16 minutes left and UConn down by 8, Hurley turned to the refs and said, “They got a three off a bad call from you that cost me the game.” One fan took to Twitter and responded to that, “I remind you there is 16 minutes left and they are down 8. Wow.” Because, well, there’s still a lot of time left, and yet, here’s Hurley already deciding the game was stolen from him.  

Then came the frustration over something bigger. “Response to Dan Hurley: ‘Coach please go back to your huddle.’ Response if this was Kim English: ‘You’re no longer welcome above the Mason-Dixon line,’” another wrote. Basically, when Hurley does this, he just gets brushed off. 

Meanwhile, the Big East hit the Providence coach a $5,000 fine for calling out the refs after his ejection in 91-82 loss to Xavier last Wednesday. The official ruling? “Derogatory comments directed at a game official.” And that’s exactly why fans are fed up with the inconsistency.

They have seen enough of it. Now, the patience is running thin and they’re demanding some action against Hurley, too. As one fan put it, “@BIGEASTMBB has to get this under control! Must be a Tech by rule!”

A third added, “Dan almost broke his own glasses.” The coach was so fired up that he literally broke his own glasses. But his fiery antics aren’t exactly breaking news. Remember when he even picked up a technical foul during Maui that cost them a loss. Yes, Hurley doesn’t do chill. He’s been known to slam tables, lose his mind on the sidelines, and well, this time, his glasses paid the price. 

But he must be hungry for this victory. That loss to Villanova last month was a tough one, so….the man was feeling every second. One fan caught him dramatically pulling off what remained of his glasses and falling into his chair like he was in his own sports movie. 

“Dan Hurley just pulled off his glasses and fell into a chair on the bench lol,” they wrote. Some fans think his antics are a bit much but let’s be real, this is Hurley. If he’s not screaming at refs that he’s “the best f—ing coach,” he’s doing this. Honestly, we’d be surprised if he didn’t. 

Then there was this absolute reality check. “Get ready to learn NIT, buddy.” Ouch. If you don’t know, the NIT is basically the backup tournament for teams that don’t make the NCAA bracket. So, it’s a taunt suggesting Huskies won’t make the NCAA Tournament.

But the bottom line (for now) is UConn got the win, and now they’re heading into a major ranked matchup. They’ll travel to Storrs South to take on No. 10 St. John’s. 

Let’s see if they can keep the momentum rolling.