The Utah Utes women’s basketball team experienced a disturbing situation during the NCAA Tournament last week. The incidents occurred in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on Thursday, March 21, 2024, shortly after the team arrived for their NCAA Tournament game against Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
Apparently, strangers allegedly yelled the N-word towards them while the players, band, and cheerleading team were walking to a restaurant for dinner, as well as when they left. The team consisted of players from various racial backgrounds, including Black, white, and Latina.
Due to these incidents, the Utah Utes women’s basketball team felt unsafe and relocated to a different hotel for the remainder of their stay. The NCAA and Gonzaga University (the host school) reportedly assisted with the move.
“We had several instances of some kind of racial hate crimes towards our program,” Utah Utes head coach Lynne Roberts said during the post-game press conference. “Incredibly upsetting for all of us.”
Roberts added:
“You know, you think in our world, in athletics and university settings, it’s shocking in a … like there is so much diversity on a college campus and so you’re just not exposed to that very often.”
Here is the official statement from Athletics Director Mark Harlan, Deputy A.D. Charmelle Green, and Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lynne Roberts.
Statement from Athletics Director Mark Harlan, Deputy A.D. Charmelle Green and Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lynne Roberts. pic.twitter.com/GJbvPs9dvm
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) March 26, 2024
As per TMZ, the University of Utah has officially filed a report with the police.
The game between the Utah Utes and Gonzaga University women’s basketball teams happened on March 26, 2024, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The final score is: Gonzaga Bulldogs: 77; Utah Utes 66.
