Courtesy of South Carolina State Athletic Communications


ORANGEBURG, S.C.—South Carolina State head men's basketball coach Murray Garvin announced on Thursday the Bulldogs' non-conference slate for the upcoming 2020-21 campaign.  
  
Garvin, entering his eighth season at the helm, will field one of the youngest teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) this season.  
  
"This fast-approaching college basketball season will be like nothing we have seen before," Garvin said. "COVID-19 first made us delay the season by two weeks and now it is about to begin.   
  
"As we have done every year that I have been the head coach here at South Carolina State, we play once again one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country. We will face teams from the SEC, ACC, MAC, Colonial, Atlantic Sun, Atlantic 10, Southern and Big South Conference."    
  
The Bulldogs open the season at home against Appalachian State on Nov. 25, before heading to Ohio to take on Bowling Green on Nov. 28.  
  
South Carolina State begins the month of December on a four-game road swing, beginning at ACC foe Clemson on Dec. 2, followed by a trip to the Tar Heel State for showdowns with UNC Asheville on Dec. 5 and UNC Charlotte on Dec. 7.  
  
A trip back to the Palmetto State puts the Bulldogs in the Low Country for a contest with the College of Charleston on Dec. 11 and a home contest hosting Jacksonville on Dec.13.  
  
Garvin's team embarks on a four-game road trip before the holidays in Lynchburg, Va. at Liberty University on Dec. 15, in Clinton, S.C. at Presbyterian College on Dec. 18, in Greenville, S.C. at Furman on Dec. 21 and against SEC foe South Carolina in Columbia, S.C. on Dec. 23.  
  
"This has been a different preseason for all of us. We have missed days of practice due to COVID-19 just like many other programs," Garvin said. "It will take some time to get our rhythm but our plan is to get 1% better every day. We hope to see you all at some point this season."