RICHMOND - With 15:04 left in the second half and the Virginia men's basketball team leading Michigan State 31-28, a game that had been played on a floor more suited for ice hockey was postponed indefinitely due to condensation on the court. Because of the risk of injury to players, the referees and coaches agreed that the best thing to do was stop the game.
"This is my 27th year in college basketball," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. "This is the most bizarre evening I've ever experienced. It was like 'Bambi on Ice.'"
After a first half marred with players slipping and sliding all over the court, the officials, coaches and administrators agreed to stop the game if the dangerous conditions continued.
Early in the second half, Michigan State forward Aloysius Anagonye slipped while making a move in the post. On the next possession, Virginia forward Travis Watson fell squarely on his face while making a defensive move. At that time, the referees decided the conditions were too harsh to play on.
"The decision that was made was mutually agreed to by the principals involved." Virginia Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage said. "It was an unfortunate decision, but the right decision."
Because of the record high temperatures and humidity outside of the arena, the ice under the floor (used for the Richmond Renegades ice hockey games) formed condensation on the court. Because of a Renegades game scheduled for tomorrow, the Richmond Coliseum management decided it could not remove the ice before the basketball game.
"There wasn't enough time to take the ice out and get it ready for the next event," Richmond Coliseum General Manager Larry Wilson said. "It takes about a day to take it out and two days to put it down at a minimum, but that's rushing it. Our next event is Friday night."
The conditions of the floor prevented either team from getting into the flow of the game. At some points, there were as many as 15 people on the court trying to dry it off. During the game, players were afraid to go at full force for fear of injury.
"There were times out on the floor that I could have taken my guy off the dribble," Virginia forward Adam Hall said. "But I didn't want to make the move because I thought I would hurt myself."
It is uncertain whether the game will be rescheduled. "An announcement will be made on Friday, Nov. 20 as to the possibility of the Virginia-Michigan State game being completed at a later date. If the game is not completed, details concerning refund policies will be announced at that time. A ticket stub will be required in the event of a refund," Littlepage said.
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