Humidity inside the small arena combined with sweat from the players made for a slippery playing surface.
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Referees have the discretion to determine whether court conditions are too unsafe to continue. Pitt led Gonzaga 37-35 at halftime.
There is some precedent for cancelling a game due to unsafe floor conditions. Three years ago, a game between Ohio State and Marquette was cancelled after condensation on the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier made the playing surface too dangerous.
At several times in the first half Friday, players on both teams were sliding around the court and struggling to find their footing. No amount of mopping seemed to ease the condensation.
“It’s so slippery it looks like an ice rink out there,” ESPN commentator Jay Bilas said.
People watching the game began expressing concern about whether the teams should continue to play.
Pitt’s James Robinson took a particularly nasty spill under the basket, smashing head-first into the court. He suffered a grisly laceration under his right eye and was cleared to return but Pitt’s trainers could not seem to stop the bleeding.
