Dan Hurley won't face Elite Eight stare down referee in Final Four
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The official involved in a stare down with UConn coach Dan Hurley in the final moments of the Elite Eight win over Duke won't move on to the Final Four.
Roger Ayers was not among the referees assigned to officiate games in Indianapolis. The veteran referee, who previously called seven Final Fours, including last year's round of game, was skipped over by the NCAA in an announcement on Monday.
The 11 officials headed to Indy are Jeff Anderson, James Breeding, Lee Cassell, Ron Groover, Keith Kimble, Kipp Kissinger, Greg Nixon, Marques Pettigrew, Doug Shows, Doug Sirmons and Paul Szelc.
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Roger Ayers, the official involved in a bizarre interaction with UConn coach Dan Hurley near the end of the Huskies' historic NCAA tournament victory over the Duke Blue Devils, is not among the referees assigned to officiate the men's Final Four.
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Right after UConn came back from a 19-point deficit, which ended with Braylon Mullins nailing a near-logo 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining, Hurley was full of emotions. He came face-to-face and bumped heads with Ayers in the odd exchange. While the moment should've drawn a technical foul, nothing was called by Ayers.
Hurley and Ayers' stare down has since gone viral, leaving many questions unanswered.
UConn won after Duke's inbounds attempt was denied. This sent UConn to its third in four years under Hurley. Both times previously resulted in back-to-back titles.
More: NFL star calls for Cayden Boozer investigation after Duke's Elite Eight loss
Hurley is known for his antics of trying to be part of the game. He's been ejected multiple times due to confrontations with officials. He was booted against Marquette earlier this month, resulting in a $25,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct from the Big East Conference.
UConn will play Illinois in Saturday's Final Four in Indianapolis. The winner will advance to play either Michigan or Arizona.
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