Jalen Jones giving UT Arlington added scoring punch
The final score of UT Arlington’s 90-63 road victory over Troy on Thursday would leave one hard-pressed to believe the Mavericks trailed by 15 points late in the first half.
The Mavericks (13-2, 4-0 Sun Belt) erased that deficit convincingly with a 57-17 outburst that resulted in their eighth consecutive victory, a streak they hope to extend in Saturday afternoon’s showdown with South Alabama (6-10, 1-4).
He’s everything I’m looking for in a player. He’s tough, plays hard, coachable, he can rebound and he’s a confident player.
UTA coach Scott Cross on Jalen Jones
Kevin Hervey and Jalen Jones led the charge, combining for 43 points and 10 3-pointers. Jones, a junior guard who averages 11.1 points, hit a career-high 21 with five 3-pointers.
Coach Scott Cross said Jones is a perfect complement to the 1-2 scoring punch provided by sophomores Hervey and Erick Neal.
After leading District 8-5A in scoring as a senior at Cedar Hill in 2012-13, Jones averaged 13 points as McLennan Community College went 28-3 and finished seventh in the 2013-14 NJCAA final poll.
“He’s everything I’m looking for in a player,” Cross said. “He’s tough, plays hard, coachable, he can rebound and he’s a confident player.”
UTA at South Alabama
4:05 p.m., Saturday
This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Jalen Jones giving UT Arlington added scoring punch."