The Big East Conference announced disciplinary action against Dan Hurley following a tense moment during a recent conference game.
Hurley, the head coach of the UConn Huskies men’s basketball, has been fined $25,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct stemming from the closing seconds of the team’s March 7 matchup against Marquette Golden Eagles men’s basketball.
Incident Occurred in Final Seconds
With one second remaining in the game, Hurley received two technical fouls after aggressively confronting a game official.
The sequence led to his immediate ejection from the contest. According to the conference, Hurley also failed to leave the court promptly following the ejection.
Early speculation during the broadcast suggested that Hurley may have made physical contact with the official during the exchange.
However, after reviewing the officials’ game report along with available video footage, the conference office determined it could not confirm that any physical contact occurred.
Conference Response
BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman emphasized the league’s expectations for conduct during competition.
“We hold our coaches to high standards of sportsmanlike conduct during game competition, and inappropriate interactions with our officials will not be tolerated,” Ackerman said in a statement released by the conference. (source)
Discipline Issued
As a result of the incident, the conference issued Hurley a $25,000 fine.
The ruling underscores the BIG EAST’s effort to enforce standards of behavior during games, particularly in interactions between coaches and officials during emotionally charged moments.