As the NCAA celebrates “March Madness” (and the “Final Four”), it needs to take note that anti-gay abuse heaped on college players in basketball reached a point this season where the NCAA must take action to stop homophobia in all facets of college sports.

A few weeks ago, spectators at St. Mary’s University heckled opposing players from Gonzaga. The fans called them such things as “Brokeback Mountain boys” and other anti-gay slurs.

Cyd Zeigler Jr. noted recently on outsports.com that Duke Blue Devils basketball star J.J. Redick also experienced similar abuse at the venues of opposing teams. In fact, during a press conference before the start of the NCAA basketball tournament, Ziegler notes that Redick spent “five good minutes” with the media talking about the harassment that he takes on the court and that his family has to witness every game. He said he’d heard everything fans can throw at him, including questions about his sexual orientation.

Redick echoed sentiments that several college basketball players have repeated over the years. It is still perfectly fine to call opposing players “faggot” and “queer.” And if you’re last name has “dick” in it, like Redick, then it’s fine to say, “J.J. Sucksdick.”

The fans, usually students, doing the name-calling or making the banners don’t worry about having campus security escort them from the arena, or reporting them for conduct code violations. No fines. No forfeits. In short, “No harm, no foul.”

Of course, if the largely white spectators began calling the largely (if not completely) African-American opposing players the “N” word, the schools would no doubt take action. Not necessarily because it’s the right thing to do. You see, if black college players stopped playing for the NCAA, there would be no NCAA or the billions that these students produce.

Let’s be clear. This isn’t about free speech rights of fans. This is about harassment and abuse of college students, typically by other college students. And this problem has plagued college sports for decades.

Twenty years ago, another famous Duke star, Christian Laettner, experienced the very same treatment. It got so bad that opposing fans would bring in posters of Laettner wearing a dress. At first, Laettner got angered by it. Then he and another senior player decided to play with it, and began to walk hand-in-hand around campus. The sports media was baffled. Is the nation’s biggest college star gay?

But the abuse of Laettner bothered his coach, who said in a book that it was shocking that any school would tolerate such abuse because of a student’s real or perceived sexual orientation.

Most suppose that the reason why college officials are not reacting seriously is because they don’t believe the gay-baited players are really gay. Unfortunately, the history and practices in the NCAA lead me to believe the NCAA and colleges wouldn’t react any differently if a player like J.J. Redick said he was gay and didn’t welcome the abuse.

Robert Drago, professor of labor studies and women’s studies at Penn State, said in a forum on homophobia in sports that women who are out as coaches reported problems from fans, athletes and alumni.

And life isn’t any better for out students, even in women’s sports. In October, former Penn State Lady Lions player Jen Harris alleged that Penn State women’s basketball coach Rene Portland asked her to leave the team because she perceived Harris to be a lesbian.

Harris filed suit against Portland, claiming that Portland discriminated against her on the basis of gender, race and sexual orientation.

Before the lawsuit was filed, former player Courtney Wicks came forward to say that Portland used anti-lesbian recruiting tactics and openly condemned gay lifestyles.

Portland denies the charges.

The Department of Education (Office of Civil Rights) should investigate the charges by Harris and Wicks. The federal law barring gender bias gives the federal government the power to cut off funds to schools that engage in bias.

To the extent that the NCAA remains indifferent to abuse, it, too, can become a target for civil suits for gender and sexual orientation bias. No doubt a player like Redick could file suit against the NCAA for tolerating arenas where Redick is subject to abuse because of his real or perceived sexual orientation.

The California Legislature can also make things happen by prohibiting UC and CSU schools (teams) from doing business with schools/states that condone homophobia.

Just the thought of the bill will shake every athletic director and university president.