ORLANDO – The UCF men's basketball season is back this week as the Knights will open the season Wednesday, Nov. 10 when Robert Morris comes to Addition Financial Arena for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
Click here to read last week's preview of UCF's guards for 2021.
With seven forwards on the roster, find out more about each big man that will be hitting the court for the black and gold this season with the preview below.
#3 / Isaiah Adams / SO. / 6-6 / 210 lbs.
- 2020-21: 9.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 46.6 FG%, 74.3 FT%
- Career Highs: 26 points, 10 rebs., 4 stls., 5 ass.
Isaiah Adams burst onto the scene as a true freshman during the 2020-21 season, picking up all-freshman team honors from the American Athletic Conference following the regular season.
The Jacksonville native was second among all AAC freshmen in scoring and led all true freshmen with 9.9 points per game. He picked up AAC Freshman of the Week honors three times (Dec. 21, Feb. 22 and March 8).
The 6-foot-6 Adams led the Knights and ranked ninth in the conference with a 46.6 percent mark from the floor and was ninth in the league with 1.3 steals per game. His most impressive performance of the season was his 26-point outing at Tulane, where he went 10-of-11 from the floor, 4-of-5 from 3-point range and added five assists.
#4 / Jamille Reynolds / SO. / 6-10 / 285 lbs.
- 2020-21: 5.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 48.7 FG%, 74.3 FT%
- Career Highs: 17 points, 3 blocks, 8 rebounds
Second-year forward Jamille Reynolds impressed in his freshman season in 2020-21. Starting 13 games throughout the year, Reynolds knocked down 48.7 percent of his shots and averaged an even 5.0 points per game.
Reynolds was dominant in UCF's extremely close overtime loss to Wichita State, leading the team in both scoring and rebounds with 17 points and eight boards.
#12 / Ed'Xavior Rhodes / FR. / 6-9 / 210 lbs.
A 6-foot-9 forward out of Dallas, Texas, Rhodes was rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals and was ranked as one of the top power forwards in the class when head coach Johnny Dawkins signed him back in April 2021.
Standing in at 6-foot-9, Rhodes averaged 20 points, nine rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game last season at Skyline High School in Dallas.
Dawkins on Johnson
"Our staff is excited to bring Ed'Xavior in as a part of our UCF family. He's a skilled big man, who can do a lot of things on the basketball court. He runs the floor well, can defend the basket and can step outside and knock down a shot. We can't wait to get him here in Orlando."
#20 / Sean Mobley / R-SR. / 6-8 / 235 lbs.
- 2020-21: 3.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 31.0 3-pt FG%, 77.3 FT%
- Career Highs: 16 points, 8 rebs., 8 ass., 3 blocks - All career highs at VCU
Redshirt senior Sean Mobley enters his third year with the Knights in 2021-22. After sitting out in 2019-20 due to NCAA transfer rules, the Orlando native averaged 19.2 minutes per game in his first active season with UCF in 2020-21. Over the entirety of the season, Mobley put up 68 points, 30 assists, nine steals, and four blocked shots.
Mobley was a true workhorse in UCF's Dec. 26 contest against Houston, playing a total of 31 minutes while shooting 50 percent from the field, collecting three rebounds, and tacking on two assists.
#21 / C.J. Walker / JR. / 6-8 / 205 lbs.
- 2020-21: 7.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.7 bpg, 44.4 FG%
- Career Highs: 18 points, 4 blocks, 10 rebounds
Entering his second season at UCF, Walker is a defensive nightmare for opposing offenses. Playing in 21 out of 23 games in the 2020-21 season, Walker tied the team lead for rebounds with 5.0 per game, led the AAC with 1.7 blocked shots per game and averaged 7.0 points per game. Over the course of the season, Walker totaled 36 blocks, 19 steals, and 104 rebounds.
Walker was a force to be reckoned with in UCF's dominant win over South Florida on Feb. 17. He led the team with 18 points, four blocked shots, and nine rebounds.
#25 / Ryan Anders / SR. / 6-6 / 235 lbs.
Ryan Anders last saw game action in 2019-20 as he appeared in four games for the Knights, totaling seven minutes. The Tampa product scored three points and grabbed two rebounds in a 94-62 win over ECU at home on March 8, 2020.
Anders excels in the classroom. In his junior year in 2020-21, he was a two-time Dean's List recipient, picking up the honor in the fall and spring.
#34 / Cheikh Mbacke Diong / R-SR. / 6-11 / 235 lbs.
- 2020-21: 8.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 60.7 FG%,
- Career Highs: 22 points, 5 blocks, 17 rebounds - All career highs at UNLV
One of UCF's newest Knights, Cheikh Mbacke Diong came to UCF from UNLV over the summer. His resume is extremely impressive during his time spent playing for the Rebels. In 2020-21, Diong started all 27 games, averaging 8.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and ranking fourth in the Mountain West Conference with 1.0 blocks per game. Diong also recorded three double-doubles on the season along with a total of 33 steals.
In a contest against Benedictine Mesa, Diong had his most impressive outing of the 2020-21 season, achieving a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds while tacking on two blocked shots, leading UNLV to a dominant win.
SEASON AND SINGLE-GAME TICKETS
Season and single-game tickets for the 2021-22 campaign are on sale now. Fans looking to purchase tickets can call (407) 823-1000 or visit UCFKnights.com to secure them today. For men's basketball tickets CLICK HERE.
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