Dan Hurley’s showdowns with referees are often a recipe for viral moments. Ahead of UConn’s national championship game, details about the NCAA officiating crew have emerged. And as it turns out Hurley’s history with one of the referees could be a concern.
Saturday’s official report confirmed that Jeff Anderson, Kipp Kissinger, and James Breeding will be on duty for the UConn–Michigan matchup. While Anderson and Kissinger are not Big East referees, Breeding has officiated several Huskies games this season.
UConn has lost five games this season, and Breeding officiated three of those losses. Overall, the Huskies hold a 7–3 record in games he has officiated. Notably, Breeding was part of the crew for both of UConn’s losses against St. John’s. Hurley has also been assessed two technical fouls by Breeding this season alone.
The two share additional history dating back to 2022, when Hurley received another technical foul for slamming the scorer’s table during a game against Villanova. Unfortunately for the Huskies coach, his past with the other officials hasn’t been smooth either.
Kissinger officiated UConn’s loss to Arizona in November. While Anderson hasn’t officiated a UConn game this season, Hurley once referred to him as a “clown.” However, Anderson was also part of the officiating crew during two of UConn’s wins in the 2023 NCAA March Madness.
At the end of the day, officials may not play a decisive role in a team’s wins or losses. UConn assistant coach Kimani Young emphasized focusing on the game rather than the referee lineup. Meanwhile, Hurley neither knows nor wants to know who will be officiating Monday’s game. Still, with Hurley involved, drama on the court and the sideline feels inevitable.
