Already ranked at number 19, the Huskies needed overtime to avoid a second consecutive home loss. Dan Hurley and his team held off Butler 80-78, and it was another close result this season. But a quote from the coach towards referee Nathan Farrell made the headlines. “Don’t turn your back on me. I’m the best coach in the fu-king sport.” It’s not the first time the 52-year-old has been under the radar for his antics on the sidelines. Some fans seem to have had enough of it and a national broadcaster definitely didn’t mince his words for the 2024 Naismith Coach of the Year.

“Let’s start with Dan Hurley, that piece of sh– Dan Hurley. That fu-king piece of sh– Dan Hurley! He’s pi–ing me off so badly Tate, this fu-king guy this fu-king guy Dan Hurley.” On his show’s 162nd episode, Mark Titus went all out against the Huskies coach. “Now if you’re a Uconn fan, you might be saying yourself why now? Why does it feel like this year, people are turning on Dan Hurley. Dan Hurley has been consistent since he’s really been- since he has come out of his mother’s womb, he’s been this way.”

As he stated, the sideline gestures have been part of 2x NCAA coach’s lore. However, this season as they aim for a three-peat, it’s not favoring the UConn coach. “He was this way at Uconn, he’s been this way his entire career. So what is it about the college basketball fan that is now turning on Dan Hurley?” Mark Titus then would explain the difference of opinion of fans as well about this season’s antics.

“Maybe I’m just, I shouldn’t speak for everybody. But it does feel like the last couple of years we said, ‘Ha ha isn’t this kind of funny that Dan Hurley is so angry at the refs all the time?’ and whatever else haa haa ha. And then this year it’s like, ‘get this fu-king guy out of my face. Everyone hates him.'” But it seems there is a reason why the coach has been hurling abuses against the refs amidst the narrow wins for the Huskies.

Even after the win against the Butler, in the press conference, Dan Hurley stated, “the same story every single game.” As he mentioned, officiating has been stacked against them all season. However, the coach has a different point of view regarding the situation.

Is pressure or officiating pushing Dan Hurley to the edge?

A nail-biter finish led the Huskies to secure their sixth Big East win. After Creighton snapped UConn’s 28-game home winning streak with a 68-63 victory on Saturday. The last home loss was on Jan. 25, 2023, so nearly two years to that same day. So a win against Butler was the least the Uconn’s fans had been expecting. But even turned out to be a cagey affair.

During the press conference, Dan Hurley pointed out the reason and the treatment that he was getting.” I just wish they would show these other coaches losing their minds at the officials in other Big East games… The camera obviously, I’ve created this for myself, I’m not a victim. I just wish they would not have the camera on me 90% of the time.”

So, with the dream of causing the elusive three-peat, is the pressure breaking Dan Hurley? But the coach seems adamant that after each game, his team has been on the wrong side of the officiating calls. Maybe that’s why he didn’t like the referee turning his back on him.