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Oklahoma State’s win over BYU was overshadowed by allegations of derogatory fan chants. Wednesday’s BYU-Oklahoma State game marked the fourth known instance in a year that fans have been accused of using offensive chants during a college basketball game.
The Big 12 Conference later said it launched an investigation into the matter. “All parties have been notified,” the statement said. “The Conference has zero tolerance for behavior of this nature and will address the matter in accordance with Big 12 sportsmanship policies,”
After the game, Cougars men’s basketball coach Kevin Young said he heard the Oklahoma State student section chanting, “F The Mormons.”
Young also asserted that his children would once again have questions about what allegedly transpired in Stillwater.
“It’s a great win for Oklahoma State University. Their fans should be proud,” he said. “It would be great if some class was warranted in there as well. I’ve got four small kids at home. I’m a Mormon. When I go home, they’re going to ask me about it, same way as they asked me about it last year at Arizona,” the second-year Cougars coach said.
Young concluded that the level of “hate in the world” was evident in fans directing disparaging language toward an opposing team. “There’s just too much hate in the world to be saying stuff like that. We’ve got enough problems in our world without going at people’s religion and beliefs and whether it’s in vogue or not.”
BYU is the flagship school for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon Church. Fox News Digital contacted both BYU and Oklahoma State athletics departments for comment.
Oklahoma State President Jim Hess sent the following statement to Fox News Digital:
“I am aware of concerns raised by BYU’s coaching staff regarding the conduct of some individuals in attendance at Wednesday’s basketball game. Any behavior that targets or demeans others has no place at Oklahoma State University and does not reflect who we are as Cowboys. The Cowboy Code calls us to treat others with respect and dignity, and we are reviewing what occurred and will address any violations of our standards of conduct appropriately.
“Oklahoma State University values the relationship we have with BYU and deeply respects their community and their faith. I have reached out to BYU leadership directly to express our commitment to upholding the standards we expect from our community. We will continue to work with our students and fans to ensure that the atmosphere at our events reflects the values of the Cowboy family.”
BYU officials did not immediately respond.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Oklahoma State fans rushed the court to celebrate the upset of No. 16 BYU.
Last February, Arizona apologized after the school said some fans participated in an “unacceptable chant” following the basketball team’s 96-95 loss to BYU in Tucson. According to online video, fans could be heard yelling a profane phrase directed at Mormons as the teams were leaving the court.
In September, Colorado apologized and was fined $50,000 by the Big 12 after football fans directed expletives and religious slurs at Mormons during a 24-21 loss to the Cougars in Boulder. In November, Cincinnati apologized for football fans’ anti-Mormon chants during a 26-14 loss to BYU in Ohio.
Young said four or five players on BYU’s roster are Mormon.
“I understand what we represent. Even for a guy like AJ, that stuff is unwarranted. Like I said, man, I try to talk to our guys about being examples in the world, why we can use basketball to really just bring people together and not tear people apart. It’s something we talk about a lot. It’s just disappointing.
“I hope someone prints that, I hope it’s in bold on someone’s publication and just try to maybe together as a society we can just help the world kind of move forward and not divide each other with hate and things that are really nonsensical.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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