Arizona apologize for anti-Mormon chants after team’s loss to BYU

Arizona have apologized after some of the team’s fans directed abuse at BYU after the Cougars’ upset victory over the Wildcats on Saturday.

The game, in Arizona’s home arena, ended in controversy after a number of calls went BYU’s way. As the players left the court chants of “Fuck the Mormons” could be heard around the McKale Center. Around 98% of BYU’s student body are Mormons and the university is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“Following tonight’s men’s basketball game, it was brought to our attention that an unacceptable chant occurred,” Arizona athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois said in a statement. “On behalf of the University of Arizona Athletic Department, we apologize to BYU, their student-athletes, coaches and fans. The chant is not reflective of who we are and should not have happened.”

The teams tussled after the end of the game, and Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd was critical of a call that led to free throws that sealed BYU’s 96-95 win. But he said his team took responsibility for the defeat.

“It’s a bad call. I mean, like, whatever. What am I going to say?” Lloyd said. “You hate for a game to be decided by that … And the guy who called it is one of the best refs. So we’ve got to live with it. But step back. They scored 93 points up to that point on our home court. That’s the problem.”