Mar 31, 2026
3 min read
Dan Hurley appeared to be in a heated argument with an official after UConn's Elite Eight win over Duke on Sunday, but it turns out Hurley's appearance was not what it seemed.
CBB ref directs Dan Hurley, trending video after UConn's buzzer-beater against Duke
Dan Hurley appeared to have a heated conversation with an official after UConn's Elite Eight win over Duke on Sunday, but Hurley's eyes were not what they seemed.
Roger Ayers, the official Hurley contacted after the game, said the exchange "was nothing," according to ESPN's Seth Greenberg.
"I talked to Roger [Ayers] today. He said, 'What are you talking about?'He literally had no idea what I was talking about," Greenerg said on SportsCenter. "He said, 'Nothing happened. The ball went in, I was running back, they were celebrating. Danny leaned over to tell me something, I told him something, it was nothing.'
Hurley respondas al GOAT Coach Talk 🐐
Jaz was Hurleyjev GW Reaction 😂
Dan Hurley Praises Brother Boozer
Hurley's response came after Braylon Mullins made the go-ahead three-goal with just half a second remaining.Duke couldn't answer and the Huskies advanced to the Final Four.
I don't know if Hurley is upset about being in the game.No, it is not clear yet.The Blue Devils had fewer turnovers than the Huskies, but the gap wasn't significant.
Seth Davis of Hoops HQ noted that Ayers is "known for his toughness and also sense of humor."
"Looks like Hurley is hanging out with a friend instead of threatening the conspirators," Davis wrote on social media.
Hurley is one of the most dynamic coaches in college basketball, and most officials probably know that by now.While some may argue that Hurley should have received a technical foul since there was still time left on the clock, Ayers clearly didn't see Hurley's actions as bad.
This isn't the first time Hurley's relationship with a staff member has been bad this year.In the Sweet 16 against Michigan State, Hurley jokingly gave his glasses to the players after a challenge, and he didn't get a skill.
"For the most part, I think I've been a pretty good kid this year," Hurley said on The Pat McAfee Show last week."My behavior was pretty good. Even in that situation, I didn't touch him. I never had contact with an official. There was no contact, in fact the official said so. Again, it was a long time ago."
Hurley, a two-time NCAA champion, will try to lead UConn to No. 3 seed Illinois in the Final Four on Saturday. He has managed to avoid provoking the referees too much this postseason and will look to keep his record clean in the biggest game of the season so far.
