March Madness: UConn Qualifies for Elite 8 After Players Flee from Luxor

The UConn men’s basketball team is heading to the Elite 8 after beating Arkansas at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Thursday. But nothing was elite about the reported conditions of the hotel where the UConn team initially was booked.

Las Vegas' Luxor Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas’ Luxor Hotel & Casino, pictured above. The UConn men’s basketball team left the Luxor after players were reportedly disgusted about the condition of the rooms. (Image: TripAdvisor)

When the Connecticut Huskies checked in to 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 selected the Luxor for the UConn players. So, UConn officials let the NCAA know about the conditions.

The NCAA quickly relocated the team to 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, which is 3.1 miles north of the Luxor on the Las Vegas Strip.

The condition of the Luxor rooms was so graphic, it was getting national media attention. 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.

UConn Defeats Arkansas

Arkansas’ team reportedly stayed at the Vdara Hotel & Spa, and there was no need for them to relocate from their accommodations.

They’re now heading home after losing to UConn, 88-65, on Thursday night.

The 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 at 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 appeared in the Final Four five times previously.

UConn forward Adama Sanogo
UConn forward Adama Sanogo, pictured above. He’s one of the team’s leading players. (Image: UConn)

Before beating Arkansas, the Huskies earlier this month defeated 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.

The Huskies play in the Big East Conference, but many fans would like to see UConn move to a power conference, such as the ACC, B10, or possibly the B12.

The men’s basketball tournament was on pace this week for a $4.5 billion legal handle for North American sportsbooks, according to Macquarie analyst Chad Beynon.

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