The weather on Maui may be heavenly, but Dan Hurley and his UConn Huskies didn’t particularly enjoy their trip to Hawaii this year.

The Huskies are 0-2 so far in Lahaina, but it’s not the loss itself that could prevent UConn from returning to the Maui Invitational (UConn didn’t defend well enough to win) — it’s the vile officiating that dictates both has games.

A BIG EAST team like UConn is used to playing games that are professionally and fairly officiated by both sides, with referees who understand how to officiate a physical, high-level Division I basketball game. That wasn’t the case on Maui, for what it’s worth.

Not getting a good call is part of basketball, and the Huskies are not exempt from suffering abuse from referees just because they are back-to-back champions. In fact, it is more likely to occur. A UConn loss is a big headline these days, and Maui Invitational officials want the event to get the most media attention it can get during the tournament.

Hurley, who addressed the post during Tuesday’s postgame press conference, knows his team has to overcome adversity and his players become stronger because of it.

“(The officiating) obviously has a lot of influence,” Hurley said.

“It just shows how the last two days went for us. You know, yesterday there was an over-the-back that was called against us, and today it was even more egregious because the kid… pulled Liam (McNeeley’s) arm down. I’ve seen the replay of it.”

“In basketball, sometimes you don’t get a good whistle. We just didn’t manage to get here.”

“It killed us to have so many guys in foul trouble during the game.”

While Hurley was far more composed and reserved with the referee during the two press conferences in Maui than his on-court demeanor suggests, there are already significant rumors that UConn felt so disrespected by the tournament that they will never return . At least not in the Hurley era.

John Fanta of FOX Sports made such a revelation about an hour after Tuesday’s Colorado game.

“Well, one thing we can conclude: UConn will not be back in the Maui Invitational,” Fanta posted on X.

It’s an interesting narrative that will follow UConn and Hurley for the rest of the festival week. How helpful are these Maui games for major programs if the contests are not conducted in the manner that the March games will be, or even as early as the December conference games?

There is a valid argument about the value of submitting to abhorrent conditions of office to build team character.

But it certainly won’t help your NCAA Tournament seeding.

More NCAA: UConn’s Dan Hurley criticizes poor officiating after Memphis loss: ‘It was a joke’