UConns Dan Hurley explains his viral emotional outburst in season-ending March Madness loss

Dan Hurley took on a much more apologetic tone when he met with reporters in Connecticut on Wednesday after returning from an NCAA Tournament appearance that ended in disappointing fashion and was overshadowed by the UConn coach’s now-viral rant about game officials. As Hurley walked off the court and into the tunnel after a 77-75 loss to Florida in the second round on Sunday, he was caught on camera making remarks about the refs that included several expletives. The clip went viral, the reporter who took the video was allegedly threatened by UConn’s sports information director Bobby Mullen to “ruin” his life and UConn became the topic of conversation for sports pundits across the country — and not in a good way. Hurley told reporters Wednesday that “I wish I didn’t” go overboard while still exhibiting some of that edge that the UConn coach has come to be known by. “Those are three great officials on that game,” Hurley said, according to the Hartford Courant.“So, although I said something in the heat of the moment, in an area of the arena that in pretty much every game I’ve ever coached in college has been media-free.

Past the tunnel, by the locker rooms, in the hallway where the coaches go, that’s for the combatants, that’s for the competitors.That’s not for camera phones.

Just relative to that, those were three great refs and Florida earned it.“If I don’t go off the rails at the end there, after that three-year run ended in excruciating fashion.… If I don’t have that emotional outburst there, probably all people are talking about is the run we’ve had, the amazing players.”Mullen apologized to Queen City News’ Joey Ellis this week for his actions.Ellis seemed pleased to move on from the drama. Hurley reiterated Mullen’s own regret over his role while also taking the ultimate blame for the whole thing. Want to tune into as much March Madness as you can? DIRECTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV both have you covered wit...