Virginia and Vanderbilt are taking their preseason tune-up somewhere a little different this fall: outside.
The Cavaliers and Commodores will meet in a neutral-site exhibition on Sunday, Sept. 27, in Charleston, S.C. as part of the LinkU Invitational. Virginia’s game is set for 1 p.m., with the next matchup following at 3 p.m. The event also includes the College of Charleston and The Citadel, and the games will be played at Credit One Stadium, the tennis venue that hosts The Charleston Open and holds about 10,000 fans.
The setup is being sold as more than just a basketball doubleheader. LinkU and Beemok Sports & Entertainment are calling it a “weekend celebration of college basketball” with “access to the kind of up-close, behind-the-scenes experiences that a traditional game-day ticket simply does not offer.”
Saturday will feature open practices for all four teams, along with a Chalk Talk with coaches and players at The Riviera. On Sunday, fans will get curated food and beverage options and family-friendly entertainment around the stadium.
This isn’t the only basketball event this week moving into a tennis setting. Xavier, Dayton, Ohio State, and Cincinnati are also set for a doubleheader on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, home of the Cincinnati Open. Beemok Sports & Entertainment is behind that event as well.
For Virginia coach Ryan Odom, the Charleston setting comes with a few personal connections. His father, Dave Odom, finished his coaching career at South Carolina from 2001-2008 and helped the Gamecocks win back-to-back National Invitational Tournament Championships. Dave Odom remains well known in the state and was part of a gathering at Colonial Life Arena this past spring with some of his former players.
There’s also a Virginia connection through the venue’s title sponsor. Credit One Bank is owned by Ben Navarro, whose daughters Emma and Meggie Navarro both played tennis at Virginia. Emma Navarro has since turned pro, while Meggie Navarro was a senior on the team this past spring.
“We are so excited to be part of this unique event and really appreciate everyone involved in putting this together,” Ryan Odom said in a news release. “This is an opportunity to create a memorable experience for our student-athletes while bringing together four fantastic programs in an incredible setting.
Charleston is home to a great basketball community, and we’re looking forward to competing against Vanderbilt in what should be a great atmosphere. We’re grateful for the partnership with the College of Charleston, The Citadel and Vanderbilt, as well as The LinkU and Beemok Sports and Entertainment.
We are confident that this weekend will be a special experience for our team and fans.”
The exhibition still serves the same basic purpose: getting teams ready for the real thing. Virginia’s last preseason meeting with Vanderbilt came in Nashville, where the Commodores won the first half 44-41 and the second half 51-46 for a combined 95-87 score.
Afterward, Odom said the game showed “certainly things that we’ll need to really get back and work on.” He pointed to transition defense, turnovers, and foul problems.
This year’s version will look different for Virginia, even beyond the outdoor setting. Last fall’s exhibition came with an almost entirely new roster and a new coaching staff, but the Hoos now bring back all 10 players with eligibility from that team.
That group includes Thijs De Ridder, Sam Lewis, Johann Grünloh, and Chance Mallory, who all played major roles a year ago. Virginia also added Christian Harmon, Jurian Dixon, Kalu Anya, Jan Vide, high school recruit Favour Ibe, and international recruit Nolan Adekunle.
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