Arizona AD apologizes for offensive chants directed at BYU players during Wildcats’ controversial loss
Arizona athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois issued an apology late Saturday night on behalf of the university and athletic department after fans started a disparaging chant aimed at BYU inside the McKale Center in Tucson, Arizona. The chant, captured on video and posted across social media, was sung in unison denigrating the visiting team and many of its followers’ religion by shouting an expletive and mentioning Mormons.
“We apologize to BYU, their student-athletes, coaches and fans,” she said. “The chant is not reflective of who we are and should not have happened.”
The chant was just part of a tense finish in Tucson in which BYU upset the Wildcats, 96-95. The game ended with a questionable foul call on Arizona that sent BYU to the free throw line with 3.2 seconds remaining and a chance to take the lead, and Richie Saunders nailed both to seal the win.
“It’s a bad call,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said postgame. “I mean, like, whatever. What am I going to say?”
Emotions boiled over postgame and both teams had to be separated after a brief dust-up on the floor.
Lloyd didn’t like the late call that ultimately decided the game but made it clear that he wasn’t using the call as an excuse, noting that the official who made the call is “one of the best refs.”
“Step back,” he said. “They scored 93 points up to that point on our home court. That’s the problem. That’s the problem. Me and my staff and my players, that’s the problem. Not the officials. It would’ve been great to steal a victory if they don’t call that, but still, can’t put yourself in that position.”
