Whenever Dan Hurley is involved in a viral scene with a referee, it tends to be negative. However, it was the exact opposite when UConn head basketball coach Dan Hurley went forehead-to-forehead with Roger Ayers in the final seconds of his March Madness win over Duke.

Hurley went viral for “headbutting” Ayers moments after Braylon Mullins' game-winning three-pointer to beat Duke. Two days later, he wants fans to know it was not a malicious act, and rather him just celebrating the victory with one of the few officials he is on good terms with.

“At that point of the game, we had won it,” Hurley said on ‘The Triple Option' show. “And he’s such an easy guy to work with during the game that I thought he was coming over to chest bump me and celebrate the shot. Because it’s not like that for me with him. My experience with him has been — we haven’t won every game, I haven’t agreed with every call, but that was in no way was that like me and a ref that I had been at their throat the whole game.”

Ayers knew the act was not violent, admitting after the game that “nothing happened” during his brief interaction with Hurley.

Duke fans did not like the move, viewing it as a sign of friendship between Hurley and Ayers. Rest assured, Hurley will not likely be friends with any referee throughout his coaching career.

Hurley added that Mullins' shot was one of the greatest moments of his career. It capped off a 19-point comeback to send UConn to its third Final Four appearance in the last four years. Hurley and the Huskies are now 17-1 in the NCAA Tournament since 2023.