How to watch
You can watch Wednesday night’s season opener on ESPN+ or ACC Network Extra. That means you can watch the game on ESPN.com or the ESPN app with either an ESPN+ subscription or a TV provider subscription that includes ACC Network.
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Date: November 6th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Channel: ESPN+/ACCNX
Betting line: UVA -16.5
Pregame Content
Previewing UVA basketball’s season opener versus Campbell
Virginia basketball releases “potential starting lineup” for season opener vs Campbell
UVA basketball mailbag: Changes under Sanchez, reasons for optimism, impact of Warley’s departure, and more
How Isaac McKneely can be the cornerstone for UVA basketball this season
UVA basketball explains concepts of updated offense
Game thread
Tipoff is at 7:00 – leave your pre-, in-, and post-game thoughts here and be sure to check back in for plenty of postgame content!
We’ll also be active on Twitter throughout the game and all season long so follow along on there for our staff’s live reactions.
Streaking the Lawn – @STL_UVA
Zach Carey – @Zach_Carey_
Dan Siegel – @DanSiegel_
Corbin Lathrop – @CorbinLathrop
John Kurcina – @JohnKurcina
Trey Kelleher – @TreyKelleher3
Gavin Booker – @GavinBookerPxP
Garrett Keogh – @Garrett_Keogh01
Game Notes
Lastly, here are game notes from UVA:
For Openers
• UVA begins its 120th season of men’s basketball, sporting a 1,743-1,215 (.589) all-time record.
• Virginia meets Campbell for the first time.
• UVA is 24-2 in its last 26 season-opening games.
• UVA is 13-2 in its last 15 season openers.
• The Cavaliers are 96-23 all-time in 119 season-opening games.
• UVA is 98-10 at JPJ in non-conference since 2009-10.
The Interim Head Coach
• Ron Sanchez was named Dean and Markel Families Men’s Interim Head Basketball Coach on Oct. 18 after three-time National Coach of the Year Tony Bennett retired.
• Sanchez, who spent 10 seasons on Bennett’s staff at UVA in two different stints (2009-19 & 2023-24), posted a 72-78 record as head coach at Charlotte from 2018-23.
• He served nine seasons on Bennett’s staff from 2009-18, the last three as associate head coach. During his time on Grounds, the Cavaliers won 212 games, three ACC regular-season titles and two ACC Tournament titles while making six appearances in the NCAA Tournament and one NIT appearance. The Cavaliers earned three No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament and won 29 or more games four times. UVA won 31 games and reached No. 1 in the AP rankings for the first time since 1982-83 during Sanchez’ last season at UVA in 2017-18.
• He returned to UVA as associate head coach in 2023-24 as the Cavaliers posted a 23-11 record and 13-7 mark in the ACC.
• Under Sanchez’ leadership at Charlotte, the 49ers won 16 or more games in three seasons, including a 22-14 record in 2022-23. His last season at Charlotte was highlighted by the 49ers’ first-ever postseason tournament title when they won four games in five days in Daytona Beach, Fla., at the 2023 Discount Tire College Basketball Invitational.
• Sanchez also served as an assistant coach on Tony Bennett’s staff for three seasons at Washington State from 2006-09, helping the Cougars to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth. Washington State reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2007 and Sweet 16 in 2008. The Cougars tied the school record with 26 wins in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
• Sanchez was 2-3 in season-opening games as head coach at Charlotte.
Hoo Are These Cavaliers?
• The Cavaliers return two starters (Isaac McKneely and Andrew Rohde) from last season’s team that finished third in the ACC (13-7) and advanced to the NCAA First Four
• The Cavaliers return 36.2 percent of its scoring from last season, marking the second consecutive year UVA has returned 37 percent or less of its scoring. UVA returned 91.4 percent of its scoring in 2022-23
• McKneely (12.3 ppg, 44.5% 3FG) and Rohde (4.3 ppg, 2.7 apg) are joined by returnees Blake Buchanan (3.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and Taine Murray (3.3 ppg, 45% 3FG)
• Virginia’s roster includes offseason transfers Dai Dai Ames (Kansas State), TJ Power (Duke) and Elijah Saunders (San Diego State), and newcomers Ishan Sharma (Ontario, Canada) and Jacob Cofie (Seattle, Wash.).
• Redshirts Anthony Robinson and Christian Bliss will make their UVA debuts after redshirting last season
• Promising sophomore Elijah Gertrude will miss the 2024-25 after suffering an offseason knee injury.
• Point guard Jalen Warley (Florida State) transferred out of the program on Oct. 29.
