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The Memphis Tigers made two technical free throws in the final minute of their overtime victory over UConn Huskies.
The Memphis Tigers won the game by, well, two points in a 99-97 final.
But UConn head coach Dan Hurley doesn’t believe his technical foul cost his team the game.
“I think it was the s–ty calls,” he said, per Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. “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.”
He also said he believes the technical was issued because he fell to the ground protesting an over-the-back call on an offensive rebound, adding “what I gave the cameras today was Oppenheimer” when discussing how he comes across on camera.
“That was a joke,” Hurley said of the technical, per Brendan Marks of The Athletic. “I mean, I just watched it … I had a lot of issues with what went on in the game … For that call to be made at that point in the game is a complete joke.”
He didn’t stop there when complaining about the whistle:
The Field of 68 @TheFieldOf68
Dan Hurley’s thoughts on today’s officiating:
“I had a lot of issues with what went on. That over-the-back call… there was a Memphis player that made a half-ass effort, Liam McNeeley high-pointed the rebound, and for that call to be made… was a complete joke. I may have lost… pic.twitter.com/w5AxFsZF5d
The technical and overtime ending cost the Huskies memories of an incredible comeback in regulation.
Memphis took a 13-point lead with just more than four minutes remaining on a Dain Dainja basket just for UConn to shift into takeover mode down the stretch. The two-time reigning champions dialed up the defensive pressure on the Tigers, which led to rushed possessions and turnovers as the Huskies gradually climbed back into the game.
One of those turnovers came with 14 seconds remaining and Memphis nursing a three-point lead. UConn capitalized on the ensuing possession with a dramatic Solo Ball three-pointer with one second left to force overtime.
It looked like Hurley’s team was going to win from there with all the momentum, especially after another three from Ball extended the lead to four with two minutes left in the extra period. Yet the Tigers responded with multiple three-pointers of their own to tie the game before Liam McNeeley was whistled for an over-the-back call in the final minute.
Had the call not happened, McNeeley likely would have had an easy putback to take the lead again after the offensive rebound. Instead, Memphis got two free throws for the foul and was awarded with two more after Hurley lost his composure on the sidelines.
To UConn’s credit, it cut into the four-point deficit with free throws of its own and had a final desperation heave at the buzzer, but it didn’t fall.
SportsCenter @SportsCenter
THE TIGERS HAVE DONE IT 🔥
Memphis defeats No. 2 UConn, winning its FIFTH straight game against an AP-ranked opponent dating back to the beginning of last season‼️ pic.twitter.com/OwyZnn9dIF
It’s not a stretch to suggest the Huskies would have won the game if the officials didn’t call the questionable over-the-back foul. It’s also not a stretch to suggest the Huskies would have won the game if Hurley kept his composure and did not pick up a technical foul.
Fortunately for the head coach and team, it is only November in a long season. It will have plenty of time to bounce back from this loss and compete for a Big East title and No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
But Hurley’s sideline antics were once again the storyline during Monday’s loss.
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