We’re getting to the midway point of conference play. Good time to update how the kids from last year’s UVA Basketball squad are doing at their new locales.
Hate to be the one to point it out, but this year’s team, which is 16-2, already has more wins than last year’s squad, which finished 15-17.
Some of the guys that Ryan Odom passed on are doing well – Dai Dai Ames, Isaac McKneely, Jacob Cofie and Blake Buchanan are putting up good numbers at P5 schools; Christian Bliss and TJ Power are shining down a level at Delaware and Penn.
Of that group, maybe Dai Dai fits with this year’s team.
Maybe.
Isaac McKneely, Louisville
We saw Isaac McKneely last week, and he had a big game in the Louisville loss – 23 points on 7-of-16 shooting.
It probably felt familiar to him to be the only guy on his side scoring in that one.
Last season’s leading scorer (14.4 ppg, 43.9% FG, 42.1% 3FG), McKneely is the third option at Louisville, and his numbers reflect that – 12.0 ppg, 41.4% FG, 38.6% 3FG.
He’s stepped things up in terms of scoring in ACC games – 13.5 ppg, 37.7% FG, 34.0% 3FG.
The decline in shooting numbers is a concern.
Elijah Saunders, Maryland
The second leading scorer (10.4 ppg, 5.0 rebounds/g, 42.0% FG, 34.7% 3FG) last season, Elijah Saunders has been a little less productive (9.1 ppg, 4.6 rebounds/g, 46.0% FG, 41.0% 3FG) at Maryland.
Saunders is second on the Terps in minutes (30.0 minutes/g), but he’s just fifth in scoring.
Just three double-digit games (Coppin State, Alcorn State, Mount St. Mary’s).
Saunders has had three double-digit games in his last four, averaging 13.8 ppg and 5.5 rebounds/g over that stretch.
Andrew Rohde, Wisconsin
Andrew Rohde was the third option for interim coach Ron Sanchez last season (9.3 ppg, 4.3 assists/g, 43.2% FG, 41.3% 3FG).
At Wisconsin, Rohde has started all 18 games for the Badgers, but hasn’t been as productive – 6.6 ppg, 2.6 assists/g, 43.3% FG, 32.8% 3FG).
He did have a big night in the 96-76 win over Marquette earlier this month – a season-high 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting (3-of-5 from three).
Since that one: he’s averaging 5.5 ppg.
Dai Dai Ames, Cal
Dai Dai Ames averaged 8.7 ppg for Virginia last season, though once the interim staff figured out how to use him, his numbers were solid: he averaged 13.8 ppg over his last 11 games, scoring in double-digits in 10 of those 11.
This season at Cal: 17.4 ppg, 49.4% FG, 44.4% 3FG.
Major misread by Sanchez and the staff with Ames.
And I still feel, a misread as well by Ryan Odom here, though …
Did you see what Duke did to Dai Dai?
Basically bracketed him like a football D does to a big wide receiver, denying him the ball, then doubling it out of his hands when he did get it.
His statline that night: eight points, 3-of-9 shooting, three assists, two turnovers, four fouls in the 71-56 loss.
Jacob Cofie, Southern Cal
You could see the potential with Jacob Cofie in his freshman year at UVA (7.2 ppg, 4.6 rebounds/g, 49.5% FG, 24.4% 3FG), but for some reason, he only got 20.8 minutes per game.
He came out of the gate with three straight double-digit games, then, faded.
At USC: 10.0 ppg, 6.8 rebounds/g, 56.6% FG, 33.3% 3FG.
Came out of the gate strong: 23 points and 10 boards in the season-opening win over Cal-Poly.
Then: three double-digit games in nine games, with two games with just two points, including a dud in a 94-81 win over San Diego, in which he had two points (only one shot attempt from the field) and five rebounds in 23 minutes.
He can have big nights (21 points, 10 boards in a win over Washington State on Dec. 14) and not show up (one point in 16 minutes in a loss to Michigan on Jan. 20).
Blake Buchanan, Iowa State
Blake Buchanan, a former four-star recruit, who chose Virginia over Gonzaga, averaged 4.4 points (47.9% FG) and 4.2 rebounds per game in his two seasons in Charlottesville.
This season at Iowa State: 8.9 ppg, 6.1 rebounds/g, 1.2 blocked shots/g, 66.4% FG.
He struggled in the Cyclones’ two losses last week: just two points and two boards in the 84-63 loss at Kansas on Jan. 13, and four points and five boards in the 79-70 loss at Cincinnati on Jan. 17.
Those were the first two losses of the season for Iowa State, which had started 16-0.
Anthony Robinson, Xavier
I got more emails from fans wanting the new staff to keep Anthony Robinson (3.6 ppg, 2.4 rebounds/g, 9.2 minutes/g, 72.1% FG in 2024-2025) than anybody else – I think because he seemed to just want it so damn much.
At Xavier: 2.5 ppg, 3.1 rebounds/g, 12.7 minutes/g, 50.0% FG).
ARob got a lot of minutes early (26.0 minutes/g in Xavier’s opening three), not so much since (3.8 minutes/g since Dec. 12)
Ishan Sharma, Saint Louis
Ishan Sharma was another guy that showed potential in his freshman season (3.4 ppg, 12.8 minutes/g, 33.3% FG, 33.3% 3FG).
At Saint Louis: 8.3 ppg, 20.9 minutes/g, 40.0% FG, 37.7% 3FG.
Sharma had 16 points (5-of-8 3FG) in the Billikens’ A-10 opener on Dec. 31, a 102-79 win over St. Joseph’s, but has averaged just 5.2 ppg on 28.0% shooting over his last five.
TJ Power, Penn
Who can forget TJ Power, the former five-star recruit who apparently lost all confidence in himself in his one season at Duke.
Power started the first five games last season; his season ended with seven DNP-Coach’s Decisions in his last 10.
At Penn: 14.8 ppg, 7.4 rebounds/g, 44.0% FG, 39.8% 3FG.
Notable games: 27 points (10-of-17 FG) and eight rebounds in an 84-74 win at Dartmouth; 23 points and 15 rebounds in an 83-74 win over St. Joseph’s; 29 points in a 73-71 win over La Salle; 19 points and 13 rebounds in a 70-69 loss to Rutgers.
Christian Bliss, Delaware
Christian Bliss graduated from high school a year early to redshirt at Virginia, then spent the 2024-2025 season on the injury list and/or Sanchez’s doghouse; I recall Sanchez bristling a couple of times when asked about Bliss’s status.
Bliss at Delaware: 15.1 ppg, 6.3 assists/g, 5.4 rebounds/g, 39.1 minutes/g, 38.7% FG, 37.0% 3FG.
In his one game against a Power 4, an 85-68 loss to BYU on Nov. 11: 18 points, 7-of-17 FG, 4-of-7 3FG, six rebounds, five assists, 40 minutes.
Bliss will be moving back up to the P5 next season.
Archives: Former ‘Hoos in games against Virginia this season
- UVA Basketball: McKneely goes for 23, but ‘Hoos get the Top 25 road win
- UVA Basketball: ‘Hoos stifle Cal with gritty second half D, win 84-60
- UVA Basketball: ‘Hoos overcome sleepy start, defeat gritty Maryland bunch, 80-72
Support AFP
Share
Chris Graham
