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After arriving in this picturesque Swiss city on Wednesday, the jetlagged Canadians used their pre-tournament off-day to hit the Alps and take in the sights from the top of Mount Pilatus.CORONADO, Calif. - The aircraft carrier that buried Osama bin Laden at sea is ready for the first college basketball game to be played on an active flat top. As long as the rain stays away from the Carrier Classic on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson, coaches Tom Izzo of Michigan State and Roy Williams of No. 1 North Carolina are confident their teams will put on a great Veterans Day show for the approximately 7,000 in the crowd, including the nations basketball-fan-in-chief, President Barack Obama, plus a national TV audience. Watch the game live on TSN2, tonight at 7pm et/4pm pt. Izzo and Williams said they and their players were blown away when they boarded the nuclear-powered carrier, which stretches 1,092 feet, weighs 95,000 tons and has four steam catapults that can accelerate a jet fighter from 0 to 165 m.p.h. in just more than two seconds. "My first impression when I walked in far superseded whatever I thought it could be, and weve been talking about this for seven or eight years," Izzo said Thursday aboard the carrier, which is berthed at North Island Naval Air Station. "If you could have seen our players eyes as we walked in, you just had such an appreciation for what were doing. Its bigger than a game. Its bigger than North Carolina against Michigan State. Its kind of a dream come true for us. In a small, small way, I think we feel were giving a little bit back and maybe recognizing the people that deserve to be recognized, instead of just the athletes." The game, a rematch of the 2009 national championship game won by North Carolina, was conceived to celebrate Veterans Day and salute active-duty military personnel. "Wow," Williams said about his reaction to seeing the ship and the basketball court. The island, which serves as the command centre for the ship and flight-deck operations, looms just 50 feet from one end of the court. For some high enough in the stands, theres a view of the San Diego skyline across the bay. Williams said his players eyes and mouths were wide open as they walked around the flight deck after arriving in San Diego on Wednesday. "This is a celebration," Williams said. "The basketball game, from the tipoff till the final horn, were going to be working our tails off about the game. But every single second prior to it and as soon as the games final horn is over with, were thinking about hopefully putting a smile on some peoples faces who represent our country and serve our country. "Im as thrilled as I could possibly be," Williams said. "Theyre not fake -- Ive got cold chills up here talking about it. Its the neatest thing that Ive ever been involved with." Forecasts earlier in the week suggested that a storm might hit around tipoff. But based on updated forecasts, the game will be played on the flight deck, saiid Mike Whalen of Morale Entertainment Foundation, which is organizing the game.dddddddddddd Had the threat of rain been greater, the game would have been moved below to the hangar deck. The coaches shrugged off suggestions that playing outdoors, with possible wind gusts, would be a concern. "I would be willing to bet 90 per cent of our players will be thrilled to death to do something that nobody else has ever done," Izzo said. "Thats the uniqueness of this, too. There are a lot of great players, a lot of great programs, but you talk about a memory-maker, theres been no player thats ever done something like this. So if they want to play indoors, I hope they tell me before the game; Ill make sure I dont play them. Unless its a starter." Added Williams: "They can go downstairs and play 3-on-3. Nobody will be watching." The court is surrounded by stadium-style seating, which organizers hope will block any wind. No balls will be in danger of bouncing into San Diego Bay. The coaches think itll be neat playing outdoors. "When Tommy and I played, we used to play outside," Williams said. "But kids dont play outside anymore. We better get a lot of shooting in today and tomorrow because we havent been outside. He may have outsmarted me, but we havent been outside." Said Izzo: "My guys havent shot real well in the exhibitions. I told them to shoot the exact same way and the wind will blow it in." Tar Heels senior centre Tyler Zeller said the coaches keep teasing the players about whos going to fall off the ship. At one point, he worried that the massive carrier will move during the game. "It is something that none of us have ever experienced," he said. "Im looking forward to it but Im also a little nervous about it. Itll be fun to be able to give back to them and be able to play a game in front of them." Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis, credited with coming up with the idea for the game, said he was looking for a "dramatic way to reach out" to the military. By chance, the carrier that became available to host the game was the one that conducted bin Ladens burial at sea after he was killed by Navy SEALs in a raid ordered by Obama. Capt. Bruce H. Lindsey, the commanding officer of the flat top, said neither he nor any of his sailors can talk about that mission. But Lindsey did say his daughter is a senior at Chapel Hill, "so I just have to root for Chapel Hill." Magic Johnson and James Worthy will be honorary captains for their alma maters. When the Carl Vinson is at sea, following sports events -- when possible -- is important for the crew, Lindsey said. "They follow sports all the time, so much so that I have to steer the ship so I get the satellite beam hitting us just right," he said. ' ' '