TUCSON, Ariz. — University of Arizona officials have apologized after its fans chanted offensive comments aimed at BYU players following Saturday night's game in which the Cougars upset the 19th ranked team in the country.
As BYU players walked off the court in the moments after their 96-95 victory over the Wildcats, offensive chants could be heard coming from an area near the student section at the McKale Memorial Center.
Hours after the game, Arizona's Vice President and Director of Athletics, Desireé Reed-Francois, issued a statement over the conduct of her school's fans.
"On behalf of the University of Arizona Athletic Department, we apologize to BYU, their student-athletes, coaches and fans," she wrote. "The chant is not reflective of who we are and should not have happened."
BYU won its fourth game in a row and second straight over a ranked opponent after a controversial foul call with under 3 seconds remaining allowed Richie Saunders to hit two free throws to give the Cougars the win.
In 2022, the University of Oregon issued an apology after its students and fans inside Autzen Stadium were caught on camera chanting similar offensive chants targeting BYU football players.
The BYU schedule keeps the team in Arizona ahead of Wednesday's game at Arizona State.
