Iowa State's Curtis Jones strengthening Big 12 Player of the Year case

Curtis Jones has been a key part to Iowa State's success off the bench these past two seasons. Now, with Milan Momcilovic out due to injury, Jones has elevated his game even further as a starter being one of the most prolific scorers in the country.

The 6-foot-4 guard from Minneapolis has had a unique journey before coming into the player he is now. He did not receive a single scholarship offer coming out of highschool and attended Indian Hills Community College before transferring to Buffalo. After playing sparingly his first season at Buffalo, he averaged 15 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists his second year. He then transferred to Iowa State and averaged 11 points per game off the bench for the Cyclones last season helping the team reach the Sweet 16.

This season, Jones has taken a massive leap putting himself firmly in the conversation for Big 12 Player of the Year despite playing 14 of the team's 19 games off the bench thus far. The scoring guard is averaging 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting an efficient 46.7% from the field and 40.3% from three-point range. Jones has only had two games this season where he scored less than 14 points and both were in blowout victories.

Jones, now a full-time starter with Momcilovic out, had his best performance of the season Saturday afternoon at Arizona State. He finished with a blistering 33 points, seven rebounds and three steals on 10-of-22 from the field, 5-of-10 from downtown and 8-of-10 from the free throw line. Jones willed his team to the 76-61 victory after trailing by seven at halftime.

Second in the Big 12 in scoring behind only Javon Small of West Virginia, Curtis Jones has proven to be one of the best scorers in the nation for the No. 3 team in the NCAA. Jones is a true three-level scorer and is a threat the second he steps over halfcourt. He has ridiculously deep range that extends well beyond the NBA three-point line and will shoot it in catch-and-shoot opportunities and off the dribble using ballscreens or stepbacks. He is extremely crafty with the ball which helps him finish in a variety of ways at the rim and in the paint. He is unique using ballscreens as he tends to come off the screen slower and keeps his defender on his back or hip and finishes with floaters off both legs in the paint. Jones does not have amazing size but uses his body extremely well when getting downhill and finishes through contact with ease.

Iowa State has a big matchup ahead of them Monday night as they head to Tucson to take on Arizona in an ESPN-televised game. This could be another great opportunity for Curtis Jones to prove why he should be the Big 12 Player of the Year and taken seriously as an NBA prospect as Iowa State battles for sole possession of second place in the conference.

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