Virginia Cavaliers battle South Carolina State at John Paul Jones Arena Sunday

 Charlottesville, Virginia -- The Virginia men's basketball team's season-opening game with South Carolina State at John Paul Jones Arena on Sunday (Nov. 13) will be carried on ESPN3, ESPN's live multi-screen sports network. Joe Beninati will handle the play-by-play and Dan Bonner is the analyst for the game.

 The Virginia men’s basketball team looks to begin its season on a high note, its first game since a disastrous ACC Tournament departure last year, in which the squad surrendered a 10-point lead in the final minute against Miami.

South Carolina State finished 10-22 overall and eighth in the MEAC last season, its worst record under coach Tim Carter during his four-year tenure. The Bulldogs lost two starters to graduation but return senior guard Brandon Riley, senior forward Omar Sanders and junior guard Khalif Toombs. Riley finished second on the team with 9.4 points per game, behind then-senior guard Darnell Porter.

The Bulldogs added depth by bringing in three freshman and two transfers, all of whom will be fighting for playing time at the onset of the season.

The Cavaliers plan to counter questions about court time by ...

READ MORE