“What I gave the cameras today was Oppenheimer.” Dan Hurley was fuming after a controversial last-minute call by the officials during UConn’s game against Memphis. Just a day later, UConn, the two-time defending champion, suffered its second consecutive loss, intensifying Hurley’s frustration. However, it seems his anger isn’t solely directed at the referees this time; the head coach also recognized that his team’s shortcomings were a major factor in their defeat against Colorado.

UConn’s disappointing second consecutive loss in the tournament came at the hands of Colorado, who narrowly secured a one-point victory. After the game, head coach Dan Hurley took the podium for his post-game press conference, and it was clear he wasn’t holding back. His frustration spilled over—not just with the officiating, but with his team’s defensive performance, which he felt played a major role in the loss.

“Today’s (no-call) felt more egregious. The kid pulled Liam McNeeley’s arm down. I saw the replay of it. It’s obviously ironic. But that’s not why I think we lost. Our defense has been just, so dreadful. Just so dreadful,” stated Hurley. While Hurley’s anger was directed at his team’s defensive struggles, the numbers from the game told a different story.

UConn had managed 20 defensive rebounds and three steals, matching Colorado in those areas. They even edged past the Buffaloes with five blocks. Yet Hurley’s concerns ran deeper than the stats—he felt the overall execution was lacking. He admitted the recent results had been shocking and emphasized that the team needed to regroup and stay mentally strong moving forward.

“I just think we’re all shocked, we’re all stunned. With the run that we’ve been on and how well we’ve played, the games are playing out way differently for us and we’ve got to be incredibly strong mentally right now and keep investing in the group,” Hurley told media.

After securing a lead by half-time, the Huskies were overpowered by Colorado, to be limited to a mere 5-point lead in the following minutes. Elijah Malone put up 12 of his team-high 16 points in the second half while Andrej Jakimovski made a layup 71-72, Huskies leading with 8-seconds on the clock. The shot would seal the deal after UConn’s Hassan Diarra missed his 3-pointer.

This loss to Colorado came just a day after a heated game against Memphis, where Hurley’s fury led to two technical free throws for the opponents.

Dan Hurley’s fiery outburst following controversial calls highlights Huskies’ struggles

With just 42 seconds left in the game against Memphis, the call that set Dan Hurley off came from out of nowhere. The referee whistled UConn’s Liam McNeely for an over-the-back foul while fighting for a rebound, and it was the last straw for the Huskies’ head coach. Furious, Hurley stormed down the sidelines, cursing at the officials, visibly boiling over. And this wasn’t the first outburst of the night—earlier, he had even laid down on the floor in protest after a previous foul, showing just how far he was willing to go to voice his displeasure.

In fact, from the opening tip-off against Memphis, Hurley paced the sidelines of the Lahaina Civic Center, visibly agitated. But Hurley’s fury seemed to reach its peak during the game, and his frustration carried over into the post-game press conference, where he didn’t hold back.

“I think it was the s–ty calls. I would expect to come to play in an event, and I don’t know too many back-to-back national championship teams that get that type of a whistle. What I gave the cameras today was Oppenheimer,” stated the 51-year-old head coach.

The back-to-back losses surely stung the Huskies, but fortunately, it’s still early in the season. They’ve got plenty of time to regroup, strengthen their game, and build a case for another championship run. March Madness may be months away, but for Dan Hurley and his team, every game counts. The Huskies are looking to bounce back with their next challenge to end the Maui Invitational on Wednesday.