In a disappointing turn of events, the Utah women's basketball team was forced to change hotels after experiencing alleged "racial hate crimes" before their first NCAA tournament game. Head coach Lynne Roberts revealed that the incidents took place while the team was staying at a hotel in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, prior to their matchup against South Dakota State in Spokane, Washington last week.

Roberts expressed her dismay over the incidents, stating, "We had several instances of some kind of racial hate crimes towards our program, and [it was] incredibly upsetting for all of us. Racism is real. It happens. It's awful. So for our players, whether they are White, Black, green, whatever, no one knew how to handle it. It was really upsetting."

The Utah team managed to defeat South Dakota State on Saturday but faced a 77-66 loss against Gonzaga in the tournament's second round on Monday. CNN reached out to both Utah and Gonzaga for further comment on the matter.

Following the alleged racist incidents, the Utes decided to switch hotels after just one night before their games in Spokane. Roberts explained, "For our players and staff to not feel safe in an NCAA tournament environment, it's messed up, and so we moved hotels. The NCAA and Gonzaga worked to get us in a new hotel, and we appreciate that. It was a distraction and upsetting and unfortunate."

It is worth noting that the hotel space was limited since Spokane was also a location for the first two rounds of the men's tournament. However, after some men's teams were eliminated, the NCAA and Gonzaga offered Utah and UC Irvine (UCI) the chance to move to the vacated hotel rooms in Spokane, according to a source familiar with the situation.

While the details of the alleged racist incidents remain unclear, Gonzaga acknowledged that it was aware of "racially disparaging comments" made towards visiting players. The institution condemned hate speech in any form, stating, "Hate speech in any form is repugnant, shameful and must never be tolerated. We worked hard to secure the opportunity to serve as the host institution, and our first priority is and must be the safety and welfare of all student-athletes, coaches, families, and supporting staff."

The NCAA declined to comment when reached out to by CNN. The switch of hotels, which was meant to ensure the safety and well-being of the Utah women's basketball team, unfortunately cast a shadow over what should have been a positive and joyous experience for all involved.

As the tournament progresses, it is crucial that actions are taken to address these alleged racist incidents and prevent their recurrence in the future, ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all student-athletes.