CBB Ref Addresses Dan Hurley Trending Video After UConn's Buzzer-Beater vs. Duke

Dan Hurley appeared to have a heated exchange with an official after UConn's Elite Eight win over Duke on Sunday, but it turns out the stare-down from Hurley wasn't what it seemed.

Roger Ayers, the official that Hurley approached after the game, said the exchange was "absolutely nothing," according to ESPN's Seth Greenberg.

"I talked to Roger [Ayers] today. He said, 'What are you talking about?' He literally didn't know what I was talking about," Greenerg said on SportsCenter. "He said, 'Nothing happened. The ball went in, I was running back, they were celebrating. Danny leaned in to say something to me, I said something to him, it was absolutely nothing.'"

Hurley's reaction came just after Braylon Mullins hit a go-ahead three with just half a second to play. Duke couldn't answer, and the Huskies advanced to the Final Four.

It's unclear whether Hurley was upset with the officiating in the game or not. The Blue Devils went to the line a few more times than the Huskies, but the foul discrepancy wasn't too significant.

Seth Davis of Hoops HQ noted that Ayers--who will not be officiating the Final Four--is "known for his toughness and also sense of humor."

"This struck me as Hurley messing with a buddy more than intimidating a ref," Davis wrote on social media. "This is after Mullins' shot, so Hurley was obviously not mad at the refs."

Hurley is one of the most animated coaches in college basketball, and most officials likely know that at this point. While some may argue that Hurley should have received a technical foul since there was still time left on the clock, Ayers obviously didn't view Hurley's actions as malicious.

It's not the first time Hurley's interaction with an official has gone viral this year. In the Sweet 16 against Michigan State, Hurley jokingly offered his glasses to the referees after a challenge, and he did not receive a technical.

"For the most part, I think I've been a pretty good boy this year," Hurley said on the Pat McAfee Show last week. "My behavior's been pretty good. Even in that situation, I didn't touch him. I never made contact with the official. There was actually never contact made, the official said that. Again, that was quite a long time ago."

Hurley, a two-time NCAA champion, will now look to lead UConn past No. 3 Illinois in the Final Four on Saturday. He's managed to avoid provoking the officials too much this postseason, and he'll look to keep his record clean in the biggest game of the season so far.