Isaac McKneely, Louisville
Isaac McKneely. Photo: Mike Ingalls/AFP
Last season’s leading scorer (14.4 ppg, 43.9% FG, 42.1% 3FG), Isaac McKneely is the third option at Louisville, and his numbers reflect that – 11.3 ppg, 43.6% FG, 40.7% 3FG.
His season-high is 17 points, which he’s done three times (South Carolina State, Eastern Michigan, NJIT).
Since our last update, iMac had two points (0-of-3 FG) in 23 minutes in a 99-73 win over Memphis, five points (2-of-10 FG) in 35 minutes in an 83-62 loss to Tennessee, and 16 points (5-of-7 FG) in a 94-54 win over Montana.
Notable: he’s averaging 8.6 ppg (33.3% FG, 32.3% 3FG) in his five games against Power 4s.
Elijah Saunders, Maryland
Elijah Saunders. Photo: Mike Ingalls/AFP
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 (8.3 ppg, 4.5 rebounds/g, 45.0% FG, 40.6% 3FG) at Maryland.
Saunders is second on the Terps in minutes (28.9 minutes/g), but he’s just sixth in scoring.
Just three double-digit games (Coppin State, Alcorn State, Mount St. Mary’s).
He did have 10 points (4-of-5 FG) in 24 minutes in the 80-72 loss to Virginia this past weekend.
Andrew Rohde, Wisconsin
Andrew Rohde. Photo: Mike Ingalls/AFP
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 10 games, but hasn’t been as productive – 7.0 ppg, 2.8 assists/g, 43.5% FG, 35.6% 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).
Other noteworthy game: three points, but nine assists, in the 85-73 win over Northwestern on Dec. 3.
Dai Dai Ames, Cal
Dai Dai Ames. Photo: Mike Ingalls/AFP
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: 17.7 ppg, 50.6% FG, 46.4% 3FG.
Major misread by Sanchez and the staff with Ames.
And I still feel, a major misread as well by Ryan Odom here.
Imagine the UVA backcourt this season with Ames and Chance Mallory running the point.
Jacob Cofie, Southern Cal
Jacob Cofie. Photo: Mike Ingalls/AFP
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: 10.6 ppg, 6.7 rebounds/g, 58.8% FG, 30.0% 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.
Since our last report, he’s put up 21, 14 and 12 points in a trio of wins for SC, averaging 15.7 points and 6.3 rebounds, hitting 80.7 percent of his shots (21-of-26).
Blake Buchanan, Iowa State
Blake Buchanan. Photo: Mike Ingalls/AFP
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: 9.4 ppg, 6.3 rebounds/g, 1.5 blocked shots/g, 71.8% FG.
Since our last report, he’s averaged 13.5 points and 9.5 boards per, on 13-of-15 shooting.
He’s finally playing like a four-star.
Anthony Robinson, Xavier
Anthony Robinson. Photo: Mike Ingalls/AFP
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: 3.1 ppg, 3.5 rebounds/g, 12.7 minutes/g, 55.6% FG).
ARob got a lot of minutes early (26.0 minutes/g in Xavier’s opening three), not so much since (8.3 minutes/g over the last seven).
Ishan Sharma, Saint Louis
Ishan Sharma. Photo: Mike Ingalls/AFP
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: 9.0 ppg, 20.9 minutes/g, 41.0% FG, 38.5% 3FG.
Since our last report, Sharma has averaged 10.7 points per game, shooting 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from the floor and 46.2 percent (6-of-13) from three.
TJ Power, Penn
TJ Power. Photo: Mike Ingalls/AFP
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: 15.4 ppg, 8.1 rebounds/g, 42.8% FG, 37.9% 3FG.
Notable games: 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.
Hey, good for him; he’s finally playing somewhere in the vicinity of his potential.
Christian Bliss, Delaware
Christian Bliss. Photo: UVA Athletics
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: 14.4 ppg, 6.5 assists/g, 6.0 rebounds/g, 38.8 minutes/g, 38.1% FG, 38.2% 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.