"UConn paid off these refs", "Hometown whistle is atrocious": College hoops fans get pissed at Dan Hurley after dubious officiating vs Gonzaga

Dan Hurley's No. 18 UConn faced No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs on Saturday night, but the game was marred by controversial officiating decisions. The Huskies secured a 77-71 victory, though many college basketball fans felt the referees favored them throughout the matchup.

Coach Hurley was seen embracing referee Tommy Morrissey late in the second half. Following the whistle, he held the ball, handed it to the official and then hugged him, which drew the ire of many fans on social media.

Here are some of the reactions on X (formerly Twitter):

"UConn paid off these refs bro 😂 Dan Hurley voodoo magic," one fan wrote.

"Refs scared of another Dan Hurley blow up, hometown whistle is atrocious," another said.

"Dan Hurley hugging a ref is all I need today we to know who will win this game," a fan added.

"Is there a college basketball coach less likable than Dan Hurley? That guy is the worst," one user tweeted.

Below are a few more reactions:

"I didn’t think Dan Hurley could be more unlikable. But he’s exceeded expectations," one fan said.

"THATS A TRAVEL ON KARABAN!! Dan Hurley paid off these refs," another wrote.

"Dan Hurley getting mad at obvious calls is hilarious," one more added.

The two-time national champion coach has a history of challenging dynamics and showdowns with the officials. He even called the referee's decision "a complete joke" following a loss to Memphis in the Maui Invitational in November.

"I think it was the sh***y calls," Hurley said, "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."

Dan Hurley earns his 300th career win against Gonzaga

UConn coach Dan Hurley earned his 300th career win as a head coach with Saturday's victory over Gonzaga in the Hall of Fame Series in New York. The Huskies picked up a huge win over the No. 8 team in the country to improve to 8-3 on the season.

But it was a special night for Hurley personally as he reached the milestone win. He started his coaching journey in 1996 as an assistant coach at St. Anthony High School before joining Rutgers as an assistant a year later.

His college head coaching career started at Wagner in 2010, where he spent two seasons before taking over at Rhode Island. He won 113 games in six seasons with the Rams. At UConn, he has recorded 149 wins (.709) so far.