COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M senior Jalen Jones was honored Monday as one of just 20 players nationally with a spot on the midseason watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, which is presented annually to men’s college basketball’s National Player of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
Jones stands out as one of the country’s top players this season, helping the Aggies reel off 10 consecutive wins and climb to the top of the SEC standings with a perfect 7-0 record.
The Dallas native leads the Aggies and ranks sixth in the SEC with a 17.5 point-per-game average that has seen him hit the 20-point mark in eight of 15 games played. For the season, he is shooting 47.7 percent from the field (91-of-192), 40 percent from 3- point range (16-of-40) and 74.7 percent from the free throw line (65-of-87). Additionally, Jones leads the team in rebounding with 6.8 boards per game while compiling 11 steals, 10 assists and seven blocked shots.
During SEC play, Jones has been particularly impressive by scoring 20 or more points in five of seven league games while ranking third in the league for scoring at 20.6 points per game, fifth in field goal percentage (50.5) and 11th in rebounding (7.3 boards per game).
Jones has twice been named SEC Player of the Week this season as well as being recognized as the Naismith Trophy Player of the Week on Jan. 12.
The Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented at the College Basketball Awards gala in Oklahoma City on April 11, 2016, at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Access Sports, a non-profit organization committed to supporting various charitable causes, will serve as host for the gala. Funds from the gala are used to support youth basketball programs in Oklahoma that allow disadvantaged youth the opportunity to participate in leagues and training.
The USBWA, comprised of nearly 1,000 sports journalists covering college basketball for newspapers, magazines and websites, will select the recipient of the award.
OSCAR ROBERTSON TROPHY (MEN’S NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR)
(Midseason Watch List)
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Grayson Allen, Duke
Kris Dunn, Providence
Kahlil Felder, Oakland
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame
Brice Johnson, North Carolina
Jalen Jones, Texas A&M
Sheldon McClellan, Miami
Monte Morris, Iowa State
Georges Niang, Iowa State
Gary Payton II, Oregon State
Wayne Selden Jr., Kansas
Ben Simmons, LSU
Melo Trimble, Maryland
Tyler Ulis, Kentucky
Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa
Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
Fred VanVleet, Wichita State
Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga