Arizona’s athletic director, Desireé Reed-Francois, offered an apology late Saturday on behalf of the university after fans engaged in a chant targeting BYU players at the McKale Center, Tucson, Arizona. The chant derogatorily referenced the visiting team’s religion by using an expletive and including the term ‘Mormons’.

“We apologize to BYU, their student-athletes, coaches, and fans. The chant is not reflective of who we are and should not have happened.” - Desireé Reed-Francois

The incident unfolded during a tense game that saw BYU defeat Arizona 96-95, culminating in a controversial foul call that set up the winning free throws for Richie Saunders.

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd voiced his dissatisfaction with the late call but emphasized that it shouldn’t serve as an excuse for the game’s outcome. Lloyd commented, “They scored 93 points up to that point on our home court. That’s the problem… It would’ve been great to steal a victory if they don’t call that, but still, can’t put yourself in that position.”

Following the game, tensions escalated, resulting in a brief altercation on the court that required intervention from coaching staff.