UConn is now 11-0 all-time against Butler. But what could have been an easy game (considering the Bulldogs’ recent form) turned into a nail-biting overtime battle for Dan Hurley and his Huskies. They won an 80-78 victory, and while Hurley isn’t shy about admitting his team’s shortcomings, he’s also convinced officiating has been stacked against them all season.

After the game, the coach didn’t mince words, calling it “the same story every single game.” He went on to explain, “We definitely foul on dribble penetration when we struggle to guard the ball. We make some dumb fouls … but we get held the whole game.” 

The frustration in his voice was palpable as he described they were getting ‘mauled’ while trying to move off screens or get open for passes. The free-throw disparity was glaring. UConn was doubled up at the foul line, 28-14, and the Huskies were called for 23 fouls compared to Caitlin Clark’s boyfriend Connor McCaffery’s (assistant coach at Butler) team’s 13. 

Hurley pointed this out as part of a larger trend, saying, “You look at the free throw differential, and I think we got great refs, but it’s like, where is the freedom of movement? It’s got to stop happening.” 

His comments turned even sharper when he suggested that officials might not like him personally, stating during the post-game conference, “If it’s because they don’t like me, that’s a problem because that’s an integrity of the game issue.”

But this isn’t the first time UConn has found itself on the wrong end of the whistle. The Maui Invitational was another tough stretch for the Huskies, where they were outshot by 50 at the foul line over three consecutive losses. 

And once again, Hurley’s frustration boiled over in this game. Late in the first half, with UConn up by 10, the Huskies HC was heard on the FS1 broadcast yelling at an official, “Don’t turn your back on me. I’m the best coach in the f— sport.” 

His fiery demeanor is nothing new, but it’s clear that he feels his reputation might be influencing how his team gets officiated. But he acknowledged that his animated sideline presence might be part of the issue, adding, “I’ve created this for myself. I’m not the victim. I just wish they wouldn’t have the camera on me 90 percent of the time.” 

Still, he stood firm on his belief that bias shouldn’t affect the integrity of the game. While officiating remains a sore spot for Hurley, he’s not letting his team off the hook. 

Dan Hurley sounds off as UConn barely survives

Dan Hurley has been vocal about their defensive lapses and inability to capitalize on opportunities. UConn had a 15-point lead in this game and couldn’t maintain it, a problem Hurley called out post-game. 

“We make too many mistakes. Defensively, we’ve committed other fouls,” he noted. He also admitted he was not sure if they were good enough right now. The absence of Liam McNeeley has undoubtedly hurt the Huskies. The freshman forward suffered a high ankle sprain against DePaul, and Hurley confirmed he’ll be out for weeks rather than days. 

“Hopefully, if things go the way I’d imagine, you’ll see him at the end of January,” Hurley said previously. Liam’s return can’t come soon enough, especially with UConn struggling on both ends of the court. Their defensive rebounding ranks in the second percentile nationally, and they’ve been plagued by foul trouble all season. 

Offensively, the Huskies are last in free-throw attempts and continue to let golden opportunities slip away. All in all, UConn escaped this loss, but the road ahead doesn’t get easier. With tough games against Xavier, Marquette, and DePaul on the horizon, the Huskies need to clean up their act fast. 

The hope is that the freshman star’s return will give the team the boost it desperately needs. But when he returns is yet to be known.