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A controversy has erupted following UConn's second-round NCAA Tournament exit, as a reporter claims the school's athletic department attempted to intimidate him after he posted an unflattering video of head coach Dan Hurley.
The footage, taken by Joey Ellis of Queen City News, captures Hurley in the depths of the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, venting his frustration over the officiating after UConn's 77-75 loss to Florida on Sunday.
UConn faces backlash
In the clip, Hurley can be heard shouting, "I hope they don't [expletive] you like they [expletive] us," in a message directed at the Baylor coaching staff.
The video quickly went viral, amassing 1.2 million views in just 24 hours and sparking widespread debate.
But while the internet debated Hurley's reaction, Ellis says UConn officials were more concerned about the footage spreading, and allegedly took extreme measures to suppress it.
According to Ellis' colleague, Bobby Mullen, UConn's director of communications, confronted the journalist and demanded the video be removed, allegedly going as far as to threaten his career.
"Mullen asked for that video that had gone viral to be removed," the colleague stated.
"He then threatened Joey, saying he would, 'ruin his life if he didn't.' This was heard by multiple other reporters and staff on hand."
Mullen has not denied confronting Ellis but defended UConn's stance in a statement to Charlotte Sports Live, arguing that the video misrepresented the coach's departure.
"The lasting image of Coach Hurley leaving the court should've been his walking off the court arm-in-arm with his seniors, overwhelmed with emotion,"Mullen said.
He also suggested Ellis had filmed Hurley in a location where media were not permitted.
That claim, however, was quickly challenged by veteran journalists.
Cameron Cox of 12 News Arizona countered, "'Was in an area he should not have been'-covered many NCAA tournaments. The hallway is the only place reporters can be and record their own video because broadcast owns everything inside the bowl."
The situation has ignited a firestorm online, with many fans and reporters criticizing UConn for its handling of the controversy.
Social media s blasted the university for what they saw as an overreach, with comments calling the school "classless," "embarrassing," and urging officials to "apologize and move on."
Despite the backlash, Charlotte Sports Live has stood firm in of Ellis and his reporting.
As the debate continues, the incident raises broader questions about media rights, journalistic freedom, and how programs handle emotions in the high-stakes world of college basketball.