Following UConn’s 80-78 overtime win against Butler on Wednesday, Huskies coach Dan Hurley was less than pleased with the officiating. That also led him to express frustration with his reputation as a hot head on the sidelines.
Despite getting the win, Hurley raised an eyebrow at the free-throw disparity, which was 28-14 in favor of Butler. Hurley suggested a program that has won back-to-back national titles usually gets more favorable calls than that.
“For all the success we have had over the last couple of years, I don’t think there’s a program that’s won as much as we’ve won that, at times, gets as bad a whistle,” Hurley said in his postgame press conference.
Hurley’s frustration with the officials went viral on Wednesday when cameras caught him telling a referee, “Don’t turn your back on me. I’m the best coach in the f—ing sport.”
The UConn coach admitted to that outburst but said he just wanted “some level of communication” from the officials.
Throughout his career, Hurley has gone viral for dressing down officials on a number of occasions. He said he wishes other coaches in the conference got the same treatment on the broadcasts.
“I just wish they’d put the camera on the other coach more,” Hurley said. ” … I just wish they would show these other coaches losing their minds at the officials in other Big East games that I’m coaching where I look going into a timeout where I’m not talking to officials. I see these coaches as demonstrative as I am.”
Hurley did say he brings some of the attention on himself, but he also had some strong words for social media trolls.
“I’ve created this for myself,” Hurley said. “I’m not the victim. I just wish they would not have the camera on me 90% of the time, unless they feel like it’s driving ratings and more assholes on Twitter that can put clips of me from a game. ‘Look how big of a monster he is because he’s yelling at a ref again. What a monster.'”
UConn’s next game is against Xavier on Saturday. Maybe Hurley will get less screentime in that one, as the Huskies try to build their resume.
