"He punched me in the chest hard! I think I might've cracked a rib": Dan Hurley on viral Aidan Mahaney moment during UConn vs Baylor

On Wednesday, Dan Hurley's UConn Huskies edged past No. 15 Baylor during a Big East-Big 12 battle by a 76-72 scoreline. The No. 25 Huskies were under pressure from fans after some spotty form, however, Aidan Mahaney hit back-to-back three-pointers in the first half to shift the game’s momentum.

Head coach Dan Hurley is known for his fiery personality and showed his appreciation for Mahaney. As Baylor called a timeout, Mahaney returned to the bench, only to be greeted by Hurley with a headbutt. The moment quickly became a viral sensation.

When he was asked about the incident in the post-game conference, Hurley joked:

“He punched me in the chest. That’s why I’m talking so low. I think I might have cracked a rib.”

Hurley then praised Mahaney’s game-changing impact.

“He rose like a phoenix out of the ashes today. I’m not sure if you saw that on the sideline today.

“That was important for him to have a moment like that. I think he saved us today in the first half. I think his season will start now for him. I think you’ll see a guy that’s going to give us what we hoped he would give us.”

Hurley’s enthusiasm on the sidelines contrasted with his behavior during their recent losses in the Maui Invitational. Last week, frustration boiled over during the Huskies’ 73-72 defeat to Colorado, when Hurley had to be held back after yelling at referees.

St. John's coach Rick Pitino believes in Dan Hurley

Interestingly, Dan Hurley’s coaching style drew support from St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino, who spoke positively about his counterpart. Hurley remarked on their relationship in February (via nj.com):

“I don’t think we’re going to become best friends this summer, but I respect the hell out of him.”

Meanwhile, Pitino has been critical of Hurley’s animated sideline behavior during the Maui Invitational. Despite these differences, Pitino defended Hurley during an interview on WFAN this week.

“[Hurley] will eventually mold [UConn] into a very good basketball team.”

The Huskies are set to face 7-1 Texas on Sunday and then No. 7 Gonzaga (7-1) at Madison Square Garden on December 14.

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