clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Pitt-Gonzaga canceled due to ... slippery floor

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers fans watching tonight's Pitt-Gonzaga game were hoping to see the team win its season opener in Japan on Friday night. Instead, they were treated to a half of basketball and then a rare cancellation by the officials.

Due to a slippery floor, the game was called at halftime. Players on both sides looked visibly upset by the news and, from what we know, this wasn't the request of either team. The officials made the final call at halftime and not seeing any improvement to the floor conditions. Workers had been trying to make the surface playable with the teams in the locker rooms, but to no avail.

The game was played at Camp Foster in Okinawa, Japan as the Armed Forces Classic.

This isn't what anyone wanted to see, obviously. Not only was this the season opener for both teams, but it was a pretty good first half. Pitt led Gonzaga, 37-35 at the half and was looking to pull off an impressive upset. The game was close and the second half would have been something to see.

After the announcement was made, both coaches briefly addressed the crowd as players mingled some with fans.

All told, while controversial, this was probably the best decision. Players slipped on the court numerous times and Pitt point guard took an ugly fall, resulting in a significant cut on his face. For as much as fans wanted to see the end of the game, ultimately, it was more important to get everyone out of there healthy.

Be sure to join Cardiac Hill's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter@PittPantherBlog for our regular updates on Pitt athletics. Follow the author and founder/editor @AnsonWhaley.