Texas Basketball: 3 players shining as the losses continue to mount
1) Texas basketball players shining despite the losses
Andrew Jones, Shooting Guard/Wing
Speaking of a player for Smart and the Longhorns that’s really solid when healthy of late, redshirt junior shooting guard/wing Andrew Jones is about as good as it gets for this team. Jones is playing much better on both ends of the floor, and is the spark plug this team very much needs at this point of the season.
We knew what Jones was able to do on the offensive end of the floor, which he put on display in bits and pieces last season. But his game is really starting to round out as a whole as this season moves along.
Jones is every bit as important to this team this season as Coleman and Ramey are. He’s started in all 14 games he’s played in for the Longhorns so far this season, averaging around 31 minutes on the floor per game. And he’s averaged a team-leading 15.1 points per game, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.1 blocks. Jones has shot 42.9 percent from the field, 34.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 75.0 percent from the free-throw line.
Next. 3 concerning recent slumps for Texas. dark
That all has amounted to a career-best (at least in a full season played) 7.2 box plus/minus rating, .162 win shares per 40 minutes, 1.7 total win shares, 54.4 true shooting percentage, 110 offensive rating/98 defensive rating, and a 19.1 player efficiency rating.
In eight games played in Big 12 play so far this season, Jones is averaging an immaculate 19.0 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks. And he’s shot 47.9 percent from the field, 41.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 80.0 percent from the free-throw line, during the Big 12 slate.