LAHAINA, Hawaii – It was Maui magic. An instant classic.

But at the end of the 45 back-and-forth minutes – with an 18-5 UConn run to end regulation; a buzzer-beating 3 from Solo Ball to force overtime; compensating for technical fouls resulting from a pushing match in extra time; a technical foul on Huskies coach Dan Hurley for calling the officials a “damn joke”; Memphis made seven of its last eight free throws, six by PJ Carter; and UConn showed its desperate 3-point heave as time expired – Memphis outlasted No. 2 UConn 99-97 and snapped the longest winning streak in Division I at 17 games, handing the two-time defending national champions their first loss since Feb. 20 . .

And that was all before lunch on site. Turns out the Maui Invitational missed the Lahaina Civic Center. The tournament’s triumphant return to its old home after moving to Honolulu last year in the wake of the August 2023 wildfires has more than paid off.

Tyrese Hunter led Memphis with 26 points and matched a career-high with seven 3-pointers, but Carter was the late star, saving Memphis by hitting all six of his free throws in overtime after Hurley’s late technical ball. Ball, whose 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in regulation capped a frantic comeback attempt by UConn, finished with 10 points but fouled out in overtime, one of three Huskies who ended the game staying hanging on the pine. Tarris Reed Jr., who set a new season high with 22 points, led UConn in scoring, while Alex Karaban’s four 3-pointers were crucial to the game even outside regulation.

When Hunter hit his seventh 3 with 8:35 left to tie Memphis at 10, it appeared the Huskies would lose their first nonconference game since last season’s epic against Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. But the Huskies never withered, with Karaban and Liam McNeeley’s three-point shooting pulling them back into it. Memphis, meanwhile, didn’t make a field goal in the final four minutes of regulation. And as if this game needed any more theater, the reason UConn got one last look to send the game to overtime? Because Memphis was called for a 10-second foul with 14.2 seconds left, setting up Ball’s big 3.

In overtime, both teams traded baskets to start, but hoops eventually gave way to hysteria as Memphis greats Moussa Cisse and Dain Dainja brawled with UConn great Samson Johnson, bringing both benches to the brink of clearance. Even Hurley and Hardaway got involved, with Memphis assistant Nolan Smith trying to play the peacemaker. In the end, Dainja and Samson both received technical fouls, but it was Samson’s fifth, leaving UConn without a viable big man for the final few minutes of the game. Meanwhile, Memphis star PJ Haggerty – who finished with 22 points, 11 of which came at the free-throw line – was fouled in the final 30 seconds of regulation trying to go for a defensive rebound.

But the clincher Monday afternoon was when Hurley, whose bench was assessed an early technical for complaining to the officials after UConn committed six personal fouls in the first five minutes of the game, blew his top with 40 seconds left after McNeeley was called for an over-the-back foul while trying to grab an offensive rebound. Hurley had to be restrained by assistant Kimani Young, but the damage was already done.

UConn coach Dan Hurley rails against the officials after a controversial over-the-back call in OT. Hurley gets T’d up. Huskies then lose the game by 2. pic.twitter.com/aBVIjqYp7A

— Terrible announcement (@awfulannouncing) November 25, 2024

“That was a joke,” Hurley said. “I mean, I just watched it… I had a lot of issues with what happened in the game… Because that call that was made at that point in the game is a complete joke.”

His technical performance earned Memphis two more shots, in addition to the two he earned after McNeeley’s error. Carter sank all four, giving Memphis the margin it ultimately needed to finish out the rest of the game.

Memphis will now play the winner of Michigan State and Colorado in the semifinals on Tuesday, while UConn will face the loser in the consolation round.

(Photo: Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)