From a college athlete’s perspective, one of the great parts of advancing in the NCAA tournament is having the chance to stay in increasingly nicer hotels. Each weekend — all the way to the Final Four — the accommodations get more and more luxurious.
That is unless you’re the UConn Huskies, apparently.
According to CTinsider.com, the Huskies had to switch hotels ahead of the Sweet 16 and (possibly) Elite Eight in Las Vegas due to poor conditions. The NCAA takes the lead on hotel assignments for the tournament, and it had UConn staying at the Luxor Hotel — an MGM property that opened 30 years ago and is notorious for having issues.
Meanwhile, Arkansas — UConn’s opponent in the Sweet 16 — was booked at the newer, five-star Vdara Hotel & Spa.
UConn was able to switch hotels and didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, via CTinsider:
“It’s not something we want to make a big deal out of,” athletic director David Benedict said. “Everything worked out fine.”
Either way, this wasn’t a great look for the NCAA. UConn traveled across the country, and instead of being able to relax at the hotel, the team had to pack up and find a new place to stay.
College basketball fans were accusing the NCAA of trying to sabotage UConn after hearing the news. Of all the hotels in Las Vegas to choose, there was no reason to pick the Luxor.
This was how Twitter reacted
NCAA has the fix in for Arkansas. Chris Reynolds and his NCAA friends put them in the Vdara and UConn at the LUXOR. One of these things is not like the other. I’m now cheering for UConn (now at Resorts World) for this reason alone.
(Update: I’m still sad.) https://t.co/wke2ICOWAV
— Jayhawk Talk (@JayhawkTalk) March 23, 2023
The only thing that could stop this UConn freight train from advancing to the Final Four is the Luxor. 🚂😂
Wouldn't wish that place on my worst enemy. https://t.co/loTfLpmAlS
— Bob Lupton (@RobertNLupton) March 23, 2023
the ncaa should be sued for putting UConn in the Luxor 🤢🤢🤢 https://t.co/5QtzwszMx0
— aubs🌑 (@aub_briex) March 23, 2023
They had them in the Luxor?!? NCAA can do better than that. https://t.co/jUXiRzPpEG
— Stephen (@nipsey) March 23, 2023
The NCAA tried to sabotage UConn's basketball team by putting them in the Luxor https://t.co/yrID15JJ12
— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) March 23, 2023
🤣🤣 The NCAA is so bad https://t.co/79MmsEIuuV
— Scott 🐗 (@ScottMorris12) March 23, 2023
NCAA sabotaging UConn by putting them in the Luxor https://t.co/VEx6EAMIdU
— Brody Logan (@BrodyLogan) March 23, 2023
With enough high end properties near T-Mobile Arena, how does this happen? https://t.co/9ypFtueW5G
— Jim_Alexander (@Jim_Alexander) March 23, 2023
I don’t even like walking through the Luxor, it’s like they pump seasonal affective disorder through the vents https://t.co/N12vmqShbj
— Holly Anderson 🍇 (@HollyAnderson) March 23, 2023
If Arkansas wins, you might hear more about that hotel mishap from UConn fans. And for good reason — the team deserved better.
