Dan Hurley fell. So did UConn.
Hurley, the usually fiery coach of the two-time defending nationwide champions, was livid a few name from behind within the ultimate minute of extra time in what grew to become UConn’s 99-97 No. 2 loss to Memphis on Monday within the opening spherical of the Maui Invitational.
The foul was known as on UConn’s Liam McNeeley on an offensive rebound in what was a tie recreation with 40.3 seconds remaining. Hurley falls to his knees and receives a technical fouland Memphis’ P.J. Carter made all 4 free throws — two private, two technical — to provide the Tigers the lead for good.
With that, UConn’s 17-game profitable streak courting again to final season was over. No fireworks.
“I had numerous issues with what was occurring within the recreation,” Hurley stated. “That return name at that time within the recreation, there was no try to dam. There was a participant in Memphis who made a mediocre effort to rebound that ball and Liam McNeely high-balled that rebound. For that decision at that time within the recreation was an actual joke.”
Hurley then presents an evidence for his falling transfer.
“I do not know what occurred. I’ll have misplaced my steadiness as a result of absurdity of the decision, or perhaps I tripped,” Hurley stated. “But if I had made that decision at that time, I might have ignored the truth that I used to be on my again. If I had made that decision, I might have ignored it. I might have ignored it. That was a serious, clearly, a serious… how do you may name one thing like that whereas that match was occurring, how that match performed out is simply past me.”
Hurley added that he did not know one of many referees was a university referee and likewise expressed disappointment within the different two throughout the recreation.
“I had by no means seen that referee earlier than. I did not even know he was a university referee,” Hurley stated. “And I do know the opposite two, so I’m not stunned.”
His coach was considered one of two who despatched Memphis to the road without cost throws within the recreation; the opposite was about 4 minutes into the sport when apparently a crew coach stated one thing the refs heard and did not like.
“It began off unhealthy when my medical coach, who will need to have stated one thing beneath his breath in a huddle, had T arise within the huddle within the first two minutes or no matter it was within the recreation,” Hurley stated. “A coach who’s simply the nicest man, a really quiet man. He might need muttered one thing beneath his breath in a traditional scenario.”
And a 3rd technical — Samson Johnson was whistled as a part of a double technical, however it was his fifth foul and compelled him out of the sport halfway via extra time — was expensive, too.
“Samson obtained shoved. His shirt was torn. He did not get known as for a foul the entire recreation,” Hurley stated. “He ended the sport together with his jersey torn down the center, however they get him each name. He’s annoyed. It was loopy, man. Crazy.”
For her half, Memphis coach Penny Hardaway — who obtained a handshake and heat hug from Hurley after the sport — known as it the most important win of her teaching profession.
“They had been back-to-back nationwide champions, undefeated, within the first spherical of the Maui event,” Hardaway stated. “When we had been first solid to play them, I assumed, ‘OK, let’s begin with a bang.’ I simply ready our crew and used that as motivation.”
Add all of it up, UConn misplaced for the primary time since dropping to Creighton on Feb. 20. Memphis led a lot of the recreation Monday and UConn rallied from 13 factors down within the ultimate 4 minutes of regulation, however the Tigers hit 40 free throws. throws to the Huskies’ 24.
“We knew it was going to be a bodily recreation,” UConn’s Alex Karaban stated. “That was the sport plan. We knew they wished to make it bodily. We weren’t stunned that it was bodily, we simply needed to match their power, and for almost all of the sport we did not do this. It’s simply as much as us.”
Associated Press reporting.
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