Syracuse, N.Y. – Tony Bennett likes to engage his players in team-bonding activities.

In recent years, the Virginia coach has used a softball game, white-water rafting and putt-putt golf as ways for his players to have some fun and build camaraderie.

After winning the NCAA championship last April and losing three stars to the NBA, Bennett got even more inventive prior to this season.

He took the Virginia players and coaches to an escape room. They divided up into foursomes.

Bennett’s group struggled, but the others refused to use the big, Styrofoam question mark that would prompt a helper to come into the room and provide a clue.

“We were in there for a while,’’ Bennett said. “I kept asking if we should ask for a clue and they were like ‘No! No! We can figure this out’.’’

Bennett then figured out a way to get help without his teammates knowing.

“Whenever they were trying to figure it out, I’d grab that Styrofoam question mark and hold it up to the camera so they would come in and give us a clue,’’ Bennett said. “I did that a couple times or we would’ve been in there forever.’’

On Wednesday night, Bennett might be looking for another way to escape when the Virginia Cavaliers begin their defense of the 2019 NCAA title with an ACC road game against Syracuse at the Carrier Dome.

Virginia is the first national champion to open the following season with a true road game since UCLA in 1968.

“We talked about it in our coaches’ meetings in the spring,’’ Bennett said. “It sounded like a better idea at the time than it does right now.’’

A year ago, Virginia bore the burden of being the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed in NCAA tournament following a loss to Maryland-Baltimore County in the first round of the 2018 tournament.

This year, the Cavaliers will be marked by the bull’s eye from the 2019 NCAA championship. In a way, though, Bennett will treat the 2019 title and the 2018 loss to UMBC the same – by putting them in the past.

“That’s last year’s team,’’ Bennett said. “This is a new team and a new year. Some of the guys have that experience and you’ll use that.’’

This is definitely a new Virginia team. The Cavaliers have suffered some major personnel losses. De’Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy all left school early to enter the NBA draft.

“This might be the newest, youngest team I’ve had in my 11 years,’’ Bennett said. “We’ve got to go back to how we teach, how we challenge, how we deal with successes and struggles.’’

Virginia still might have more experience than Syracuse. The Cavaliers return two starts in 6-9 senior Mamadi Diakite and 5-9 sophomore Kihei Clark, while Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim lose four starters off an Orange that went 20-14 and lost in the first round of last year’s NCAA tournament. The Syracuse roster includes no seniors and five freshmen.

Bennett, meanwhile, could start veterans like Jay Huff, a 7-1 junior; and Braxton Key, a 6-8 senior.

“We build our program through experience,’’ Bennett said. “It’s a little bit cyclical and we’ve been fortunate to have so many returners. This is a new challenge.’’

Like an escape room?

“You’ve got to give them a crash course because they’re going to be thrown into it,’’ Bennett said. “It’s a steep learning curve.’’

Mike Waters is a reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard and Syracuse.com. Got a comment or idea for a story? He can be reached via email at mwaters@syracuse.com.

The SU basketball season is here and we’ll be covering the Orange every step of the way. Your subscriptions make our coverage possible. Join today for the special price of $8.99 per month.