Rules expert Terry McAulay calls out official over head bumping with Dan Hurley: 'Didn't do his job'

Former NFL official Terry McAulay was incensed at a potential no-call on UConn head coach Dan Hurley during the Elite Eight vs. Duke. In a clip that has since gone viral, post-Braylon Mullins‘ game-winning shot against the Blue Devils, Hurley can be seen getting up close and personal with a referee.

After his celebration, Hurley appears to rub foreheads with the official in the video. One side of the aisle claimed it was Hurley being Hurley, calling it a funny moment. Others, like McAulay, wanted a technical foul called, which would’ve really thrown the end of the game for a loop.

“Under no circumstances should behavior like this go unpenalized, regardless of the sport or game situation,” McAulay wrote on Twitter/X. “Not unexpected by this coach. Deeply disappointed the official didn’t do his job.”

In the end, UConn beat Duke 73-72 to advance to the Final Four for the third time in four years. Hurley and the Huskies have a chance to win a third national title this coming weekend.

The referee, Roger Ayers, was walking toward the monitor to evaluate how much time was left on the clock after Mullins shot went through the basket and then the head bump incident occurred. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski weighed in on the head-turning moment.

“I’m glad Roger Ayers, the official, handled it right,” Krzyzewski said.

Thousands of Duke fans would disagree. The Blue Devils were ultimately granted 0.4 seconds to attempt to respond to UConn’s last-second shot. The Huskies broke up Duke’s full-court pass and celebrated accordingly.

If Ayers had called a technical foul on Hurley, Duke would’ve received two free throws and possession. Naturally, this would’ve led to UConn fans claiming Ayers unjustly inserted himself into the game’s outcome.

Additionally, Ayers would’ve been forced to ejected Hurley. According to the NCAA’s men’s basketball rulebook, any individual who “disrespectfully contacts an official or makes a threat of physical intimidation or harm to include pushing, shoving, spitting, or attempting to make physical contact with an official” must be assessed a Class A Technical Foul, ejected and serve a one-game suspension.

Grant Grubbs contributed to this report