The offseason has brought us countless storylines, but we finally get to play some basketball games. The Virginia Cavaliers will open their men’s basketball season at JPJ against Campbell on Wednesday night in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

The Fighting Camels struggled in their first year in the CAA, going 8-10 in conference play and 14-18 overall. After Anthony Dell’Orso, the lifeblood of their offense, moved to Arizona this offseason, things are looking even bleaker for Kevin McGeehan’s squad heading into the 2024-25 season. Campbell was ranked second to last in the CAA preseason poll and was ranked 318th in Torvik’s full D1 rankings at the start of the season.

Hopefully Ron Sanchez will have the opportunity to experiment here and gain some confidence. It will be important for Virginia to take care of its “buy-ready” opponents during non-conference games, as the schedule also includes games against Villanova, Tennessee, Florida, Memphis and one between St. John’s and Baylor. The Cavaliers have Campbell and Coppin State before the gauntlet begins.

Time: Wednesday, November 6th, 7:00 pm EST

Regard: ACCNX or ESPN+

Three things you should know

In the past, Campbell has always been on a level playing field with power conference opponents

Since 2021-22, the Fighting Camels have played games at Duke, NC State and Virginia Tech. Needless to say, they were always heavy underdogs, but ended up playing them tough, finding themselves within single digits in the final five minutes each time.

Part of it was just a group of guys rising to the occasion on a given night and some favorable shooting variations. However, their style of play could cause some problems for Virginia.

First of all, Campbell likes to play slowly and deliberately, so there are no disagreements about tempo. In fact, last year’s 250th pace offense was an outlier for McGeehan, who had rankings of 325th, 348th and 329th nationally in game pace in his final three years as head coach.

Like Virginia, Campbell’s half-court sets develop slowly, but they also love the press. And they push you not to turn you around, but to slow you down. UVA’s backcourt, which already has few ballplayers, will be tested immediately. It won’t be so easy if part of the time has already been deducted from the shot clock by the time you reach the half-court area.

While I believe Sanchez will bring the Cavaliers out of the basement with pace, I expect Wednesday to be the type of night we’re more accustomed to, with a limited number of possessions.

Their interior defense is brutal

Stylistically, the Fighting Camels could be a problem for Virginia. Physically it’s exactly the opposite.

To be clear, Campbell didn’t do much defensively last year, ranking 319th in adjusted efficiency. However, their defense on shots around the rim was once again incompetent. The Camels were outside the top 300 in block rate, defensive rebounding rate and two-point field goal percentage.

McGeehan brought in DII transfer Caleb Zuerleine, who averaged nearly three shots per game last season. Nevertheless, at 1.80 meters, he is the tallest expected rotation player. If all else fails, UVA should have a reliable safety net in the post. If Blake Buchanan is going to have a breakout season, it starts here.

Campbell runs a Princeton-style offense with balanced scoring

As mentioned, Dell’Orso and his 19.5 points per game will be missed. Campbell’s new lineup doesn’t appear to have a primary scoring group; Expect them to rotate people in and out instead.

If you’re really sick: The Radius Athletics YouTube channel made a series of short videos a few years ago explaining the elements of Campbell’s Princeton offense. Essentially, these attacks rely on countless off-ball moves and backdoor cuts (as opposed to pick-and-roll) to draw defenders away from the basket. Campbell’s shot type tendencies have changed over the years depending on the personnel. It’s hard to say what to expect from this year’s team, and that’s probably their biggest asset.

Two players to watch

PG Jasin Sinani (#13)

Campbell’s three-man backcourt returns, and it starts with Sinani. The senior from Wisconsin averaged 10.4 points and 2.3 assists per game last year.

Sinani is probably the most versatile player on this Fighting Camels roster, at least offensively. He is considered their most efficient shooter and will run the show at the point guard position. If anyone’s feeling really hot on Wednesday night, this is the guy.

G/F Elijah Walsh (#5)

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound wing is easily the best thing Campbell has to offer on defense. McGeehan will use his athleticism to compete with opposing teams’ leading scorers. We saw Walsh do a great job against Virginia Tech’s Sean Pedulla last year, holding him to just five points.

Although his offensive game is limited, it will be interesting to see how he defends in this contest, perhaps going head-to-head with Elijah Saunders.

A prediction

I’m not worried, but I’m excited to see what Virginia looks like, especially in terms of outside shooting and transition offense. This game screams low scoring, but the ‘Hoos still have enough of a lead to keep their bench empty until the end of the game. Ron Sanchez goes 1-0.

Forecast: Virginia 68, Campbell 51