Overview: Jones is a 6-5, 185-pound junior guard from Champaign, Ill. He has 13 career games in which he scored 20 points or more, averaging 15 points per game last season. He was fourth on the team in rebounds last year with 121 boards, 93 of which were on the offensive end. He was second on the team in assists - one behind Jeremiah River's total of 106 - but he also led the team in turnovers with 87. Jones played his best in conference play, scoring 16.7 points and averaging 4.4 rebounds per Big Ten game.
Best case: It's a breakout season for Jones, as he flourishes with the added scoring options and his assists totals continue to peak while his turnover numbers significantly decrease. With Jordan Hulls taking over the main point position, Jones is able to concentrate on getting open for scores, and he battles Maurice Creek for the team lead in points. He crashes the boards on the offensive end and gets easy put-back baskets. Defensively, his added strength in the offseason helps him box out bigger guards and stay in front of faster ones.
Worst case: There isn't much progression from his sophomore season, and he plays second or third banana to guys like Hulls and Creek. Jones is still a serviceable scorer and slashing guard, but he doesn't turn the corner to go-to guy as is expected. He's pushed around on the defensive end by the more physical guards in the Big Ten, and in defensive situations, he is substituted for better defenders such as Rivers. Even though he doesn't run the point as often, Jones' turnovers pile up.
Outlook: Jones did a good job running the Hoosiers offense when he needed to, but it appears the starting point guard position is Hulls' to lose, pushing Jones to the wing. His best attribute is his ability to get to the rim and draw fouls, as he led the team by a wide margin in free throws attempted at 190. But he only shot 75 percent from the line, and improvement in that area would give a big boost to the Hoosiers' win totals. He will have more freedom this season to score, and more space on the floor to work with with guys like Creek and Matt Roth on the outside. Jones was honorable mention All-Big Ten a season ago, but he could earn a spot on the conference's second or third team this time around.
