Breaking down what McKneely’s 23-point performance tells us about his game this season.
Zach Carey serves as the Managing Editor of Streaking the Lawn and has been the beat writer for UVA football, men’s basketball, and men’s lacrosse since 2021. A fourth-year student at UVA, he also covers the Utah Archers in the Premier Lacrosse League and has contributed to Locker Room Access and Nets Republic.
On Friday night, Isaac McKneely delivered an impressive performance in Baltimore, leading the Virginia Cavaliers to a 10-point victory against the Villanova Wildcats. He scored 23 points, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from three-point range and 8-for-9 overall from the field.
“We need iMac to be aggressive,” interim head coach Ron Sanchez said after the game. “He needs to want to shoot and be okay with missing. I think he did a fantastic job today of actively seeking his shot. He took some unconventional attempts, but he made them. As long as iMac remains confident in his abilities, we’re happy with him taking those shots.”
McKneely boasts a 64.7% success rate from beyond the arc, ranking 12th in the nation among players with 10 or more three-point attempts this season. Notably, out of his 81 three-pointers this season, only seven have been unassisted, but on Friday, four of his six made threes were unassisted.
This highlights how the former Poca Dot is stepping up offensively this season, as Virginia is asking him to take on a greater role. All four of his unassisted threes against Villanova originated from ball screens, where he consistently capitalized on the Wildcats’ drop coverage.
Check out how McKneely takes advantage of Villanova’s center Enoch Boakye not closing out on him after Blake Buchanan sets a ball screen. Although his defender, Wooga Poplar, navigated the screen, McKneely had ample space to shoot since Boakye was too far off.
Later in the second half, McKneely skillfully positions his defender behind him to take advantage of Buchanan’s ball screen. With Boakye playing deep drop coverage, iMac hits a three-pointer while fading to his left. This showcases the play of a seasoned veteran who confidently leads the offense, manipulates his defender, and capitalizes on the defense’s weaknesses.
When UVA set a screen for McKneely using one of its forwards, Villanova was more inclined to provide assistance to McKneely. In this moment, Eric Dixon stepped in for a brief hedge against McKneely. Elijah Saunders slipped past the screen, and McKneely quickly executed a one-handed left-handed pass to him. Saunders then made a smart extra pass to TJ Power on the wing, completing a well-executed play from the two juniors.
McKneely’s assist rate has climbed to 16.3% this season, up from 11.1% last year, according to KenPom, and this has come with only a 1.5% rise in his turnover rate.
He has always been a capable shooter, but his influence on the Wahoo offense through the first three games extends beyond his past performance. McKneely is now the key playmaker for the Cavaliers, combining his shooting prowess with the ability to create plays when defenders try to pressure him. This dual threat is poised to be one of the team’s biggest offensive assets.
This is a crucial development for a Virginia team in search of a leader. McKneely is positioning himself as that player early in the season, which bodes well for UVA’s potential.
For an in-depth analysis of McKneely’s standout performance against Villanova, check out the film breakdown below:
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