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Though it looked like their upset bid was going to come up short after some heroics from Solo Ball at the end of regulation, Tyrese Hunter and Memphis picked up a huge win to kick off the Maui Invitational on Monday morning.
Hunter and the Tigers stunned No. 2 UConn 99-97 on Monday at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui to open the iconic Feast Week tournament — which returned to Maui this week for the first time since deadly fires erupted on the island in 2023. That pushed the Tigers to a perfect 5-0 on the season and moved them into the semifinals, where they’ll take on either Colorado or Michigan State on Tuesday.
The Huskies, who are coming off back-to-back national championship runs, have now lost their first game since Feb. 20. That ended a 17-game win streak.
Memphis looked like it was going to pull off the win in regulation after jumping up by 13 points late in the second half. The Tigers had all the momentum, and UConn — despite entering halftime tied 40-40 — appeared to be dead in the water. But suddenly, the Huskies rattled off an 18-5 run to end the second half. Ball capped that tear with a perfect 3-pointer from the wing with just more than a second left, which sent the game into overtime.
UConn used that momentum and took the early jump in the extra period. Memphis, however, didn’t go away — and the Tigers took full advantage of a mistake from UConn head coach Dan Hurley. Memphis tied the game after a 3-pointer from Colby Rogers, and then Tigers guard P.J. Carter hit four straight free throws just a few seconds later after Liam McNeeley was called for an over-the-back foul on the other end. That foul set Hurley off and earned him a technical foul, which resulted in a seven-point swing.
Here was the foul in question:
UConn coach Dan Hurley goes ballistic on the refs after a controversial over-the-back call in OT. Hurley gets T’d up. Huskies go on to lose the game by 2. pic.twitter.com/aBVIjqYp7A
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 25, 2024
That was enough to keep Memphis ahead the rest of the way. Carter had all nine of his points in overtime, thanks to a 3-pointer before the technical and two free throws after, to keep the Tigers in the lead and eventually give them the win. UConn had one final look at the buzzer but couldn’t get it to fall a second time. While Hurley’s technical foul didn’t directly cause the loss, it undoubtedly opened the door for the Tigers at the worst possible time.
Hurley doesn’t think his technical cost the Huskies the game. Instead, he thought “it was the sh***y calls.”
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 Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 25, 2024
“I might have lost my balance by the absurdity of the call, or maybe I tripped,” Hurley said. “But if I made that call at that point, I would’ve ignored the fact that I was on my back. If I made that call, I would’ve ignored that … How you could call that while that game was going on the way that game was going on is just beyond me.”
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Hunter finished with 26 points on seven 3-pointers for the Tigers in the win. P.J. Haggerty added 22 points and five assists, and Rogers finished with 19 points. They shot nearly 55% from both the field and behind the arc as a team.
Tarris Reed led UConn with 22 points and 11 rebounds off the bench in the loss. Alex Karaban finished with 19 points, and McNeeley had 10 points and four rebounds. The Huskies, who entered the week as the favorite in the event, will now take on the loser of Colorado-Michigan State on Tuesday on the consolation side of the bracket.
UConn was by far the favorite on its half of the bracket, which now clears a path for coach Penny Hardaway and the Tigers to reach the title game on Wednesday. No. 4 Auburn, No. 5 Iowa State and No. 12 North Carolina are all on the other side of the bracket, however, so a championship in Hawaii before Thanksgiving won’t be easy by any means.
But regardless of what happens in the coming days, Memphis now has a marquee win under its belt. For a team that lost eight of its last 15 games and missed the NCAA tournament last season, a win over a top-five team in the early days of the season is a huge accomplishment.
