CNN —The Utah women’s basketball team had to switch hotels after experiencing what head coach Lynne Roberts called “racial hate crimes” ahead of its first NCAA tournament game. Roberts issues instructions to Utah players against Gonzaga. Young Kwak/APFollowing the alleged racist incidents, Roberts said that the Utes switched hotels after just one night before their games in Spokane. “For our players and staff to not feel safe in an NCAA tournament environment, it’s messed up, and so we moved hotels,” she explained. With the Utah, UC Irvine (UCI), and South Dakota State women’s teams all staying in the area, hotel space was limited.

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Persons: Lynne Roberts, Roberts, “, ” Roberts, ”, Gonzaga . Young Kwak, Gonzaga Organizations: CNN, Utah women’s, NCAA, South Dakota, ” Utah, South Dakota State, Gonzaga, Utah, Gonzaga ., Utes, UC Irvine, South Dakota State women’s, UCI Locations: Utah, Coeur d’Alene , Idaho, South Dakota State, Spokane , Washington, Spokane, Idaho