Greatest Embarrassment in the NCAA

Michigan State v Virginia, November 28, 2001

Richmond Coliseum, Section 15U Row K

A made for TV farce. ESPN, when not producing chick basketball and hyping the Yankees and Red Sox, dabble in men's basketball sometimes. This event was a Big Ten v ACC challenge.

Virginia played this game in Richmond, 7o miles from campus. The Richmond Coliseum is an outdated, often not used arena. When an event of notoriety does show up, the staff is ill prepared to handle a crowd.

Tonight was no exception.

Final Virginia 31 Michigan State 28 *

Virginia was ranked # 8 and Michigan St #17 at the time.

The sellout crowd was electric for the little time a game was played. Players began slipping and sliding all over the court in the 1st half. At the half the teams went into the locker room for a unusual amount of time. The 2nd half started with more slipping and sliding.

The Coliseum was also used for a minor league hockey team. The court covered the ice. Because of high humity outside and poor air conditions inside, condensation kept forming on the floor, making it too dangerous to continue the game.

A sellout crowd booed, a national television audience was disappointed, and neither ACC nor Big Ten officials were happy, but both schools were relieved that no player was injured during the game.

With the threat of a serious injury lurking with every cut and rebound, referees decided five minutes into the second half to stop the Michigan State-Virginia game at the Richmond Coliseum because of a wet floor. The Cavaliers led, 31-28.

The game was never finished or made up. And the University of Virginia never ventured back to the neutral site Richmond since the embarrassment on national TV.