Virginia Set For Season Opener vs Campbell
By Josh Burton
College basketball is finally back in full swing and the University of Virginia Men’s Basketball team is set to open the season as they host Campbell Wednesday night. This one will tip at 7 PM EST and is set to stream on the ESPN app as both an ACC Extra and with ESPN+.
Coach Sanchez
The Hoos will be led by Ron Sanchez in his first game as head coach. Ron was named the interim for the season after Tony Bennett’s abrupt retirement on October 18th. Ron has previous head coaching experience at UNC-Charlotte, coaching five seasons before ultimately returning back to be an assistant under Tony, a place he had been since their days at Washington State before coming to UVA. For more on Ron’s resume and what to expect, check out my season preview.
Hoo Starts?
With so much intrigue surrounding this year's Wahoos, it comes as no surprise that there isn’t a very clear starting lineup. Going off some chatter and my own gut feeling, I believe the Hoos first five will be:
G - #7 Dai Dai Ames (6’1” Sophomore, Kansas State transfer)
G - #11 Isaac McKneely (6’4” Junior)
F - #23 TJ Power (6’9” Sophomore, Duke transfer)
F - #2 Elijah Saunders (6’8” Junior, San Diego State transfer)
C - #0 Blake Buchanan (6’11” Sophomore)
McKneely and Buchanan feel like lineup locks here, with Isaac being the team leader. Saunders is the next most likely starter, following a strong offseason. It's been rumored that Dai Dai is currently the preferred point guard option, so I’m penciling him in. The last starting spot is the one that seems most up in the air, with Power, Taine Murray and Andrew Rohde all potential candidates for the spot. I’m going with Power because I believe he has the most upside of the three with his size, passing ability and shooting ability. But either Murray or Rohde getting the start wouldn’t be at all surprising, and I really wouldn’t be surprised if it takes a few weeks (or longer) to settle on a starting lineup.
Beyond the lineup, the Cavaliers “new look” offense will be the main thing to watch. It has been heavily discussed that they will be looking to push the pace when they have transition opportunities and will try to get into their offensive sets faster whenever possible. After the offensive inefficiencies the Hoos dealt with last year, being a bit more aggressive in transition would be a welcome sight.
About Campbell
The Campbell Camels of the CAA are led by head coach Kevin McGeehan, now in his 12th season. McGeehan has a 169-182 record while at Campbell, with the Camels going 14-18 last season. The Camels opened their season Monday night with a 96-49 victory over Division III Pfeiffer. Campbell started with the following lineup.
G - #13 Jasin Sinani (6’3” Senior)
G - #7 Cam Gregory (6’5” Junior, St. Francis transfer)
G - #21 Nolan Dorsey (6’5” Graduate, Holy Cross transfer)
F - #14 Caleb Zurliene (6’8” Graduate, McKendree transfer)
F - #23 Eric Van Der Heijden (6’9” Senior, UNC-Wilmington transfer)
Sinani is the headliner of the group, a preseason CAA Honorable Mention and the team's leading returning scorer. With four of the five presumed starters being new to the program, it's safe to say Campbell will be learning on the fly much like the new look Cavaliers.
Next Up
This will be the only game of the week for the Hoos, with their next contest coming Monday (11/11) when they host Coppin State. Be sure to follow all of the action on Locker Room Access!
(Featured Image Credit: Keara Bruno/CBS 19)