Unsafe court conditions cancel Gonzaga-Pittsburgh game in Japan after first half

The season opener for Gonzaga and Pittsburgh was canceled on Friday after the two teams played in hazardous floor conditions in the first half.

The teams traveled to Okinawa, Japan to play in front of the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler. But similar to years' past, extremely slippery conditions — because of humidity and condensation in a very small arena on the military base — forced the NCAA to call the game early.

Despite heavy mopping, players were seen sliding on the court and struggling to plant and find their footing in the first half. A referee interviewed by ESPN labeled the playing conditions as "terribly unsafe."

"It looks like an ice rink out there," ESPN's Jay Bilas said on the broadcast.

"We're disappointed we can't continue to play," Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon said to the marines watching the game. "We can't thank you enough for all the service you provide to our country.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few echoed those sentiments, adding: "We're sorry. We wished we could have finished this. In the short time we've been here, the impact you've had on myself and our players is something we'll always cherish. There's no one tougher than you guys. ...You're heroes to us and heroes to everyone back home."

This isn't the first game to be canceled due to unsafe floor conditions. Three years ago, a game between Ohio State and Marquette was canceled on the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier because it was too dangerous.