NCAA Referee Shares His Side of the Story in Dan Hurley Incident

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Abdul Bari Khan | Last updated Mar 31, 2026 10:00 AM ET

Dan Hurley is known for being extremely intense on the sideline. And when your team hits a buzzer-beater in the final second of an NCAA Basketball Tournament game, no one can really blame that reaction. The UConn game went viral after appearing to make contact with a referee during the celebration. However, the official involved later shared his perspective on the moment.

The clip appeared to show Hurley nearly headbutting the referee after Braylon Mullins’ game-winning shot against Duke in the Elite Eight. Many fans quickly questioned why the UConn coach was not assessed a technical foul, citing his fiery reputation and the apparent physical bump.

However, Rogers Ayers, the referee involved in the incident, does not view the moment as controversial at all, according to ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg. Speaking about the situation, Greenberg revealed that he contacted the referee directly to clarify what had happened.

The ref that Dan Hurley headbutted says NOTHING HAPPENED:

Seth Greenberg: “I talked to Roger today he said, 'What are you talking about?' He literally didn't know what I was talking about. He said, 'Nothing happened. The ball went in. I was running back they were… pic.twitter.com/xotQeIwuTd
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) March 31, 2026

The veteran college basketball analyst said the referee responded by asking, “What are you talking about?” Greenberg added, “He literally didn’t know what I was talking about. He said, ‘Nothing happened. The ball went in. I was running back, they were celebrating… He said something to me, I said something to him.’”

Greenberg went on to suggest that Hurley’s well-known sideline intensity, combined with the clip going viral, may have created a narrative that wasn’t entirely accurate. “That was social media trying to create something out of nothing,” he added.

Hurley has long been known as an energetic coach who frequently interacts with officials and shows visible passion during games. However, the referee’s explanation suggests the moment was simply a brief interaction amid the chaos of a game-winning celebration.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: