West Virginia coach Bob Huggins twice used a homophobic slur in a radio interview Monday when requested about whether or not he had recruited — and tried to poach — Xavier gamers out of the switch portal. Huggins was being interviewed on Cincinnati radio station WLW 700-AM when hosts Invoice Cunningham and Steve Moeller requested if Xavier gamers had popped on his radar in constructing out his roster by way of the switch portal, and he twice resorted to utilizing a slur whereas demeaning its Catholic fanbase.

“I inform ya what, any faculty that may throw rubber penises on the ground after which say they did not do it? By god, they may get away with something,” Huggins stated, in keeping with audio obtained by Awful Announcing. (Warning: audio could also be thought-about graphic.)

“Was this on the Crosstown Shootout?” he was requested by the hosts. “It was transgender night time, wasn’t it?”

Mentioned Huggins: “It was the Crosstown Shootout. Yeah, what it was, was all these f—, these Catholic f—, I feel.”

The section ended with some awkward lifeless air and a few laughter earlier than the hosts quipped that Huggins was “the perfect.”

Huggins apologized in a statement Monday afternoon.

“Earlier as we speak on a Cincinnati radio program, I used to be requested in regards to the rivalry been my former employer, the College of Cincinnati, and its crosstown rival, Xavier College,” Huggins stated within the assertion. “Through the dialog, I used a very insensitive and abhorrent phrase that there’s merely no excuse for — and I will not attempt to make one right here. I deeply apologize to the people I’ve offended, in addition to to the Xavier College neighborhood , the College of Cincinnati and West Virginia College. As I’ve shared with my gamers over my 40 years of teaching, there are penalties for our phrases and actions, and I’ll absolutely settle for any coming my manner. I’m ashamed and embarrassed and heartbroken for these I’ve damage. I need to do higher, and I’ll.”

Huggins was a long-time rival of Xavier as the top coach at Cincinnati from 1989-2005 earlier than leaping to Kansas State after which to West Virginia. With a profession 935-414 general file, Huggins has probably the most wins amongst all lively coaches.

“Coach Huggins’ remarks as we speak on a Cincinnati radio present had been insensitive, offensive and don’t signify our College values. Coach Huggins has since apologized,” the college stated in an announcement. “West Virginia College doesn’t condone using such language and takes such actions very significantly. The state of affairs is beneath evaluation and might be addressed by the College and its athletics division.”