Battle of the Midway between San Diego State and Syracuse pushed back to Sunday

Rather than move Friday's season opener between San Diego State and Syracuse indoors as a result of wind and rain expected that evening, officials from both schools apparently have come up with a more creative solution.

They'll still play the game on the flight deck of the USS Midway, but they'll wait until the poor weather passes to do it.

According to the Syracuse Post-Standard, Syracuse and San Diego State will announce Tuesday evening that the Battle on the Midway will be moved to Sunday at 4 p.m. ET. A San Diego State spokesman confirmed the report Tuesday afternoon.

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The decision to push the game back to Sunday rather than play it Friday in the Valley View Casino Center is a sign both schools recognize the location of the matchup is much more germane to its appeal than the date.

As last year's inaugural aircraft carrier game between Michigan State and North Carolina showed, there are few more aesthetically stunning locations for basketball than the deck of an aircraft carrier overlooking the San Diego skyline. By contrast, there are few more unappealing NBA-sized arenas than the 46-year-old Valley View Casino Arena, which once housed the San Diego Clippers from 1978-84.

The matchup between San Diego State and Syracuse may be the best of this weekend's four games being played on military bases or Naval ships.

Syracuse, ranked No. 9 in the Preseason AP Top 25, lost first-round picks Dion Waiters and Fab Melo from last year as well as seniors Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph, but the Orange will reload behind new stars Michael Carter-Williams and C.J. Fair. San Diego State, ranked No. 20, returns perimeter standouts Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley and adds several key newcomers to bolster last year's undersized frontcourt.

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