UConn Basketball Reaches Elite 8 After Players Flee from Luxor
Posted on: March 24, 2023, 10:50h.
Last updated on: March 24, 2023, 10:50h.
The UConn men’s basketball team is heading to the Elite 8 after beating Arkansas at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. But nothing was elite about the reported conditions of the hotel where the UConn team initially was booked.
When the Connecticut Huskies checked into the Luxor Hotel & Casino on Tuesday night, they were disgusted with the condition of the rooms, according to online reports.
Connecticut news site CT Insider revealed this week there was dirt, “vomit … and worse” in the assigned hotel rooms at the Las Vegas Strip property.
The NCAA had selected the Luxor for the UConn players. So, UConn officials let the NCAA know about the conditions.
The NCAA quickly relocated the team into another hotel. It was described by OutKick, an online sports site, as a nearby “high-level” hotel.
Larry Brown Sports, an online sports site, identified the new hotel as Resorts World Las Vegas. It’s 3.1 miles north of the Luxor traveling by Las Vegas Boulevard.
The condition of the Luxor rooms was so graphic, it was getting attention from the media nationally.
But UConn officials weren’t overly concerned.
It’s not something we want to make a big deal out of,” UConn Athletic Director David Benedict told CT Insider. “Everything worked out fine.”
The Luxor is known for its hotel towers, and pyramid rooms with slanted windows. It’s also one of eight Las Vegas Strip properties to still have an old-style buffet, known as the Buffet at Luxor.
Casino.org reached out to MGM Resorts, which owns the Luxor, for a comment. No statement was released immediately.
UConn Defeats Arkansas
Arkansas’ team reportedly stayed at the Vdara Hotel & Spa. There was no need for them to relocate.
They’re now heading home. UConn defeated Arkansas 88 to 65 on Thursday night.
The UConn Huskies next play the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Saturday in the final West Region game. The game is scheduled to start at T-Mobile Arena at 8:50 p.m. ET.
UConn is a 2-point favorite in odds from Caesars Sportsbook. The over/under for total points scored is 153.5, CBS Sports reported.
The winner of that game heads to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. UConn has taken part in five Final Fours previously.
Before beating Arkansas, the Huskies earlier this month defeated both Iona and Saint Mary’s.
UConn has won four NCAA national championships in men’s basketball. These include wins in 1999, 2004, and 2011, under the reign of former coach Jim Calhoun. Another national championship was won in 2014. Dan Hurley is the current head coach.
The Huskies now play in the Big East Conference. But many fans would like to see the Huskies move to a power conference, such as the ACC, B10, or possibly the B12.
The men’s basketball tournament, known better as March Madness, was on pace this week for a $4.5 billion legal handle for North American sportsbooks, according to Macquarie analyst Chad Beynon.