College Hoops Top 50

Last Year: 23-11; 13-7, Third in the Atlantic Coast Conference, lost in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament

Head Coach: Tony Bennett (16th Year; 364-136 at Virginia, with 10 NCAA Tournament appearances)

Projected Starting Lineup

G Dai Dai Ames – 6’1″, 190 Sophomore

G Jalen Warley – 6’7″, 199 Senior

G Isaac McKneely – 6’4″, 195 Junior

F TJ Power – 6’9″, 221 Sophomore

C Blake Buchanan – 6’11”, 227 Sophomore

Experienced Reserves

G Elijah Gertrude – 6’4″, 179 Sophomore

G Andrew Rohde – 6’6″, 200 Junior

W Taine Murray – 6’5″, 208 Senior

F Elijah Saunders – 6’8″, 240 Junior

F/C Carter Lang – 6’9″, 238 Sophomore

Freshmen

G Christian Bliss – 6’4″, 198 (Redshirt)

F Jacob Cofie – 6’10”, 232

F/C Anthony Robinson – 6’10”, 250 (Redshirt)

It must have been a nice offseason for the teams that haven’t had visions of disastrously-missed free throws dancing through their heads since March. Virginia has not been so fortunate.

The final month-plus of last season was rough for the Cavaliers. Though they won 23 games and took third place in the expanding Atlantic Coast Conference, UVA did so in about the ugliest fashion you could imagine. Understanding, of course, that legendary head coach Tony Bennett’s system has never pretended to be about style over substance, the Hoos have made playing smart and executing crisply on the things that they can control the pillars of their reputation.

Last year, that all got muddled so badly that they stumbled to six losses in their final ten games, including some L’s which felt excruciatingly like they had been given away. Worse, popular sentiment turned against Virginia and some loud voices were calling for them to be left out of the NCAA Tournament entirely. Not because Virginia hadn’t earned a spot with their many good wins. Rather, because the Hoos had become so much worse to watch than usual…which, if you know UVA, is really saying something.

The Cavaliers made it to the Big Dance, lost immediately in a game which was the very antithesis of entertaining, and then lost two of their three best players to the pro’s. How does a program come back from all of that? It’s up to Bennett to show the way, and though this doesn’t look like his best team on paper, the fact remains that he’s got some understanding with these things. Remember when everyone was clowning Virginia for being the first #1 seed of all time to get knocked out of the NCAA Tournament? Bennett’s group came back the next year and won a natty. The Hoos know a little something about making a comeback.

The best thing going for Virginia is Isaac McKneely. Some people seem like they were just born to hit three’s, and McKneely is one of them. In his first season as a starter, McKneely became an indispensable part of Bennett’s lineup as a must-cover outside shooter who kept some pressure off of graduated point guard Reece Beekman. It’s something of a surprise that McKneely only finished eighth in the ACC in made triples, because to some opponents last year, it felt like McKneely was tossing in a half dozen of them each contest. He made his 81 deep balls at a fabulous 44.5% rate, and now that McKneely has established himself, UVA is going to give him one of the country’s greenest lights from the outside. His journey towards being the Hoos’ star mirrored Virginia’s season to some extent in March. McKneely’s triple in overtime and then a slick feed to Beekman a few minutes later for the dagger against Boston College at the ACC tournament were huge plays in Virginia’s season. Unfortunately, McKneely also missed the front end of a 1-and-1 to keep NC State in it and then had the unsuccessful contest on Michael O’Connell’s iconic three at the end of regulation one game later.

Still, with the confidence he gained in becoming a featured option last season, McKneely has gained the experience and has the skill to become Virginia’s go-to guy. His form is silky and he gets to his shot quickly, and McKneely’s awareness in slipping defenders and utilizing screens has grown. As a sophomore, McKneely ranked tenth nationally by shooting 47% from downtown in catch-and-shoot situations, per Synergy Sports. Unfortunately, last year his percentages fell oddly backwards, as McKneely shot 36.8% from mid-range and a paltry nine of 27 (33.3%) on tries near the rim, per Bart Torvik. He will need to keep defenses a bit more honest as a drive threat to help open up room to launch, and McKneely has been focusing on his handle and improving his explosiveness this summer. In a lot of ways, McKneely is kind of a perfect Tony Bennett player. He is a smart, high-effort player who doesn’t need to dominate the ball in order to make a big impact, and McKneely took needed strides as a defender last year.

This year, he’s going to see an immense amount of defensive attention, and it is up to the Cavaliers’ other players to prevent McKneely from being swarmed. The losses of Beekman and 24th-overall NBA Draft pick Ryan Dunn will be felt acutely. They were two of the only guys who could go off-script and make special plays when the Hoos most needed it last year. At his best, McKneely can be another of those guys – but he can’t yet do everything by himself.

To help free up McKneely, Bennett has brought in a couple of guys who know how to create off the bounce. As bookend playmakers, Jalen Warley and Dai Dai Ames will be tasked with executing Virginia’s playbook and manufacturing opportunities for shooters. Oh, and as Bennett demands, they’ll need to make smart, consistent decisions with the ball.

After three years at Florida State, Warley arrives in Charlottesville as a 58-game starter in the ACC. He’s a big guard who knows how to use his reach as an advantage, and Warley can do some things that make him a real matchup problem. As a sophomore, he shot 62.0% near the rim and a solid 41.5% on mid-range attempts. Last season, those rates sank to 48.2% and 32.2%, respectively, and Warley made just one of seven shots from the land of trey. The Hoos can’t afford to play a complete non-shooter at the point, but Bennett is banking on some upswing in those rates, and to achieve that he will lean into Warley’s talents as a driver.

“They just want me to take pride in what I can do well…They are going to rely on me on defense and that veteran presence because I have been through a lot of battles in the ACC.”

– Jalen Warley

“They just want me to take pride in what I can do well,” Warley explained to CavsCorner this summer. “They are going to rely on me on defense and that veteran presence because I have been through a lot of battles in the ACC. They are going to want me to use my versatility and my length on both ends of the floor and Coach Bennett is really excited about what I can bring to the team.” As a defender and facilitator, Warley offers a unique package. He can switch onto all but the biggest and most physical post players and cause plenty of mayhem defensively, and Warley knows how to spark an easy bucket in transition with a timely theft. With his experience and vision combined with great height, Warley can slip a catchable feed into the post or come out of the pick-and-roll with a quick lob ready to go. If he can make the plays Bennett demands from a veteran while adding a bit of creative sizzle, Warley will become a vital piece for the Hoos.

As a freshman, Ames wasn’t the most consistent point guard in the Big 12, but he showed all of the skills which had made him a 4-star prospect in the fall. He started 16 games and averaged a steady 20+ minutes per contest. There were times when he flashed the type of shot-making aplomb and daring in transition that could make Ames a standout lead guard, and Bennett needs that guy to show up for the Hoos.

A quick and slippery driver who can burst through traffic for good looks right at the cup, Ames is also a solid shooter. The Hoos need him to be a reliable catch-and-shoot threat playing off of Warley, and if Ames can occupy the defense when he doesn’t have the ball, he will play a lot. The same mover-blocker concepts which the Cavaliers will use to create space for McKneely can open things up for a guard to put it on the deck and explore. In the same way that Beekman made the in-between areas of the halfcourt his domain, Ames must prove a threat. That he is also a natural playmaker is what makes Ames such an attractive prospect. A future which features him helping Warley to operate the offense and give defenders different concerns at the same time is the sort of enterprise Bennett needs to spark his team.

At forward, the Hoos are bringing in a pair of youngsters who can really shoot the ball. Which is good, because Bennett’s offense looks so much better when there are a few different people who can shoot the ball. Virginia committed another act of ACC-on-ACC vandalism by snapping up former Duke freshman TJ Power, while Bennett pried Elijah Saunders away from San Diego State. Both newcomers are going to get every opportunity to shoot their shot, and whoever can get buckets is likely to see the lion’s share of minutes.

Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks)

59.8 – Opponent Points Per Game (2nd)

62.9 – Points Per Game (354th)

0.253 – Free Throw Attempts Per FG Attempt (348th)

63.7% – Team Free Throw Percentage (355th)

30.5% – Opponent 3FG Percentage (18th)

A 5-star recruit just last autumn, Power has shown hints of a full scoring repertoire. He rarely played more than a handful of minutes on a fully-loaded Blue Devils team last year, but Power now has a year of strength training and competing in practice against a powerful ACC squad under his belt. The scouts by and large predicted that muscle, attitude, and experience were the main things Power needed to add to his game coming out of the prep ranks, so Virginia may have just bought low on a stock that is about to take off. With great size, good functional length, and the athleticism to attack bigger players by slashing in from the wing, Power looks like a star scorer. His jumper looks great, as well, and if he can pull defenders to the opposite side of the floor from McKneely, Power’s value will be immense. He’s not a bruiser, but when Power plays with an edge he becomes a very difficult cover. He can back defenders down and create his own shot in the post or draw them close and kick to waiting shooters. There will be things to prove defensively coming over to Bennett’s vaunted pack-line, but Power retains his star potential and may be very near to showing it off.

With San Diego State, Saunders went to a Final Four as a freshman reserve and made the Sweet Sixteen last year as a key part of the rotation. Another stretch-4 who can lure defenders out to the wing, Saunders made the third-most deep balls of any Aztec last winter. The Hoos were most effective last year when Jake Groves was making three’s and spreading out the opposing defenses, and Saunders, like Power, can get the job done. In anticipation of his larger role coming into last season, Saunders had dropped upwards of 40 pounds and added a significant amount of muscle. He now very much looks the part of a powerful star forward, and Saunders has the range of offensive talents to back it up. He can handle the ball, moves it well, and cuts hard to the goal to earn buckets inside. His post-up game is still maturing, but playing alongside superstar Jaedon LeDee surely showed Saunders a thing or two. Being a part of head coach Brian Dutcher’s outstanding defense has prepared Saunders for his role with the Cavaliers, and the hope is that he will be an effective co-star with Power going forward.

Andrew Rohde, Taine Murray, and Blake Buchanan played important minutes for the Hoos last year, and Bennett will need more from each of them this winter. After coming aboard from St. Thomas (MN) as the reigning Summit League Rookie of the Year, Rohde jumped into Virginia’s starting lineup. It’s clear that Bennett really likes Rohde’s heady, versatile game and positional size, but the young guard simply couldn’t make enough shots in his Cavalier debut. Though the 6’6″ youngster posted 90 assists and gave away just 36 turnovers in 830 minutes and 27 starts, Rohde made a ghastly 29.3% of his shot attempts from the floor. With the Tommies, Rohde averaged 17.1 points and made 81.5% of his free throw attempts, but last season he seemed to lose confidence on his shot and became part of a team problem by missing nine of the platry 16 free throw tries he was able to earn. A smart player who can guard and pass as well as Rohde can thrive under Bennett, but that player also has to be a respectable scorer. No one feared Rohde last year, but if he can make just a couple of shots each game to complement his other skills, Bennett’s faith will start to be rewarded.

Kiwi wing Murray is a fan favorite who plays an abrasive game and doesn’t back down from big moments. He can shoot the ball, and Murray saved Virginia with a few clutch buckets in close games down the stretch. The Hoos won all four games in which he scored double figures – all in ACC play – and though it came on low volume, Murray shot 50% from the floor and from long range after the new year. He may never be a big-time player, but as a tough, experienced veteran who will throw himself into any fray, Murray has earned his spot in Virginia’s rotation.

With Power and Saunders to do much of the scoring up front, UVA needs its other young big guys to re-earn the program’s reputation for locking down the lane. Buchanan took some good steps as a rookie, and has the size and instincts to become a force inside. Now, with another year’s worth of muscle and a familiarity with how ACC bigs operate, Virginia’s coaches are hoping that he can stride boldly forward. A Top 100 recruit out of Idaho last fall, Buchanan is mobile, knows how to handle the ball, and can really swat a shot. He’s got good feet and some touch near the bucket, too, and Buchanan goes straight to the rack when he catches the ball inside. Not limited to being a dunker, Buchanan looks to post and spin into hook shots against tight defense, and he’s got the makings of a useful jumper. He knows how to play with aggression, and the Hoos need Buchanan to be smart and tough this year, especially on the glass. For a rookie who was needed in big moments, Buchanan acquitted himself well, and with a bit of polish, it’s not difficult to see him turning into a quality player.

Following a developmental redshirt, Anthony Robinson will also compete for minutes in the middle. A 3-star recruit last fall, Robinson was considered not quite as prepared as Buchanan to play right away. He looks the part now. These days, Robinson is listed at 250 pounds, and he’s clearly added a significant amount of muscle since arriving in Charlottesville. A big who can move, Robinson plays with a strong motor, has good hands, and showed plenty of shot-swatting skill in high school. He’ll have the chance to snag some minutes with those attributes, and if Robinson can throw some quick buckets into the bargain, his progress towards a legitimate role will begin.

A Virginia native who spent last year stuck in the disaster at Vanderbilt, Carter Lang will also get a look. He’s a smaller 5-man, but has both face-up ability and very good vision and passing instincts for a young big. The key to minutes for each of UVA’s biggest guys will be consistency, and he who performs the most reliably will likely play the most. A borderline Top 100 prospect, Jacob Cofie is this year’s top-rated true freshman. He’s a composed, collected young post player who just looks like the type of youngsters who will fit Bennett’s style. Smart, responsible on the glass and defensively, and plenty athletic enough to handle ACC competition, Cofie only needs reps before he’ll start to push the guys ahead of him.

The plan last fall was for talented freshman guards Elijah Gertrude and Christian Bliss to each take a redshirt. Due to injuries suffered by the veterans ahead of him, though, Gertrude wasn’t able to do that. He ended up playing in 16 games, and though he occasionally looked out of his depth, Gertrude also flashed the high-end athleticism and two-way aptitude which could make him an impact player in the near future. His jumper isn’t quite there yet, but Gertrude showed that the standout hops, quickness, and agility which led scouts to rank him a Top 50 recruit last fall are intact. He has the look of another complete pain in the ACC’s neck defensively, and Gertrude will get a shot at a much larger role with a full ramp-up.

Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on

N Tennessee – November 21

N Baylor/St. John’s – November 22

@ Florida – December 4

vs Memphis – December 18

N Villanova – November 15

The decision for Bliss to redshirt was very much influenced by his decision to reclassify and arrive on campus a year early last season. While not considered a finished product at either end of the court, Bliss plays with a bravado and energy which should help to make him a very good player soon. He’s put in a good deal of work on his jump shot since last fall, and Bennett is hoping to utilize the solid two-way foundation Bliss has built.

Recent reports hint that Bennett is looking to open things up a bit offensively, and to that end, has shown a slice of his mind to a couple of potential 2025 recruits. If the adjustments to UVA’s approach manifest in better ball movement and greater freedom once the team crosses halfcourt, well…that would be pretty darn attractive relative to how things have been lately.

There’s no sugar-coating how badly Virginia performed at the free throw line last year. As poorly as their team rates were, the feeling that it became effectively 0% in clutch situations grated on everyone involved. The charity stripe was an Achilles heel that everyone could tell would lead to ruin, and it did. Whenever the Hoos step to the stripe this year, that frustration will be in the backs of peoples’ minds. The silver lining is that free throws are a correctable issue, and UVA does plenty of other things well. This is a talented, young team, and it is coached by a guy who doesn’t accept backslides into failure. Virginia will get it going this fall, and no matter how annoying it will be to the rest of the country, they’ll be throwing themselves into the race for yet another NCAA Tournament appearance.