Jones Named 3rd-Team All America

Some actual good news regarding Kevin Jones. The Sporting News named Jones to its All American Third Team. The Wooden Award finalist certainly deserves this recognition after a fantastic final season in Morgantown.

Jones led the Big East with 20 points per-game, and rebounding at 11 boards per-game. He also finished the regular season with 20 double-doubles. More importantly, Jones helped guide his team to a .500 record in the Big East, and an 8th seed in the conference tournament. Jones will more than likely finish second in Player of the Year voting in the Big East to Marquette's Jae Crowder.

The Mountaineers face the Connecticut/DePaul tomorrow at Noon, with the winner getting Syracuse on Thursday.

Here is the complete All American list from Sporting News.

Kevin Jones Gets Screwed...Also, Water is Wet

I imagine that somewhere Geno Smith is shaking his head. Smith understands exactly what Kevin Jones is about to go through. Just like Smith, Jones is about to get completely screwed by the very conference he tore his heart out playing in over the last few months. Will it matter? No. Should it matter? Oh, yes.

For Smith, it was Isaiah Pead who would be Offensive Player of the Year. Was it a good year for Pead? Yes. He rushed for over 1,000 yards, and accounted for 11 touchdowns. However, that was dwarfed by the year Smith had...the best a WVU quarterback has ever have. Smith entered the bowl season with over 3,900 yards passing and 26 touchdowns. He also guided his team to a win over Pead's on their way to the Orange Bowl. Not only were his numbers more impressive, but he was also much more valuable to his team. Cincinnati slid when they lost quarterback, Zach Collaros, not Pead.

Needless to say, Smith losing was surprising, but doesn't compare to what is about to happen to Kevin Jones. If the reports are true, and Jae Crowder is the Big East Player of the Year, then it's a smack in the face. Jones has the better numbers, and is so much more valuable to his team...and I'm not sure it's even close.

Don't get me wrong, I like Crowder. He is a fun basketball player to watch. He can go inside and outside. His energy level is outstanding. He has a high basketball IQ, but isn't the Big East Player of the Year. Hell, I'm not even sure if he is the best player on his team. Darius Jonson-Odom may have something to say about that. But, even if the argument is made that he is a more versatile player than Jones, there is absolutely no way anyone can say he is more valuable.

Marquette is still a tournament team without Crowder. Johnson-Odom, Vander Blue, Todd Mayo, Davante Gardner and company would still be a Top-6 team in the Big East. Meanwhile, WVU without Kevin Jones is DePaul. I'm not even sure the Mountaineers would be NIT-bound. Truck Bryant, Denis Kilicli, and a mound of freshmen is a recipe for disaster.

Even if you want to give the edge to Crowder due to the record, statistics would push the argument back to Jones. Points per game? Jones (20 to 17). Rebounds per game? Jones (11 to 8). Field Goal Percentage? Jones (.515 to .512). Free Throw Percentage? Jones (.77 to .74). To Crowder's credit he does have more steals and assists, but Jones also dropped 20 Double-Doubles. Crowder had 11.

The value argument and stat argument side with Jones. The record sides with Crowder. Is that enough to tilt the argument towards the Marquette man? It shouldn't, but it sounds like that is the case.

Should this be surprising? No. Jones was already not a unanimous selection for Big East First Team. How ridiculous is that? The man who led the league in scoring and rebounding (by the way, the only other two to do that won POY) wasn't a first teamer in some coach's eyes. It obviously shows that bias has certainly reared its ugly head in these selections.

Again, should this be surprising? A school that sued the league to get out early, which already had a quarterback get completely jacked out of an award? I think you all can put it together.

So, in the immortal words of Jake Taylor from Major League...there's only one thing left to do..."win the whole f***ing thing". Maybe then Kevin Jones would get some respect. Doubtful in this league, though.

WVU-Kansas State Final Thoughts

As Kevin Jones goes, this team goes. At least at this point. Fortunately for Mountaineer fans, Jones is having an exceptional start to the year. He is averaging a double-double (20 pts and 11 reb) and last night finished with a career high 30, with 12 boards. Jones also hit the 3-pointer to send it to overtime, had the winning bucket in double OT, and buried two free throws to ice it. He seems a lot more comfortable in the leader role this year, and could be really special.

Aaron Brown gives us a preview of what he can do. Yes, the 3-pointer late in OT was all class, but he did much more than that. Brown also showed some versatility on the court, even creating his own shot from the corner. Brown grabbed a few rebounds and actually hit some free throws. Brown was also active on top of the 1-3-1. The freshmen have all stepped up at certain times this year. Now it's time for them all to take that next step.

Deniz Kilicli did something rare last night, and he did it twice. Seriously, who travels after getting a rebound? And, who does twice in one game? Well, the Turk did. Call it a lack of toughness or a lack of concentration. Whatever it was it can't happen again. And, I have a feeling Huggs will make sure it doesn't happen again. It's too bad it did occur last night. It overshadowed what was a very nice half of basketball for Kilicli.

Frank Martin scares the hell out of me. Huggs may yell and look pissed, but Martin takes it to another level. He is like a nuclear explosion combined with a hurricane...just straight demonic rage. Seems like a good coach though. Kansas State has played well under him. On a side note, why do college football coaches get chastised for yelling at kids, but never college hoops coaches?

Kevin Jones on Big East Preseason First Team

West Virginia forward, Kevin Jones was selected to the Big East Preseason First Team. The senior from Mount Vernon, NY joins Ashton Gibbs (Pitt), Tim Abromaitis (Notre Dame), Darius Johnson-Odem (Marquette), Kris Joseph (Syracuse, and Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut) on the preseason list. Gibbs was also named the Preseason Player of the Year.

Jones enters his final season as WVU's leader on and off the court. He averaged 13.1 PPG and 7.4 RPG in his junior season. Look for the numbers to improve if Jones wants the NBA to be his future.

Earlier, WVU was picked to finish seventh in the conference by the coaches.

Here's a complete list of the Preseason Awards

2011-12 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year

Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh

2011-12 BIG EAST Preseason Rookie of the Year

Andre Drummond, Connecticut

2011-12 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team

Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh (Player of the Year), G, Sr., 6-2, 190, Scotch Plains, N.J.

Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut, G/F, So., 6-5, 185, Norcross, Ga.

Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-2, 215, Raleigh, N.C.

Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame, F, Gr., 6-8, 235, Unionville, Conn.

Kris Joseph, Syracuse, F, Sr., 6-7, 210, Montreal, Quebec

Kevin Jones, West Virginia, F, Sr., 6-8, 260, Mount Vernon, N.Y.

2011-12 Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team

Yancy Gates, Cincinnati, F, Sr., 6-9, 260, Cincinnati, Ohio

Alex Oriakhi Connecticut, F/C, Jr., 6-9, 240, Lowell, Mass.

Peyton Siva, Louisville, G, Jr., 5-11, 180, Seattle, Wash.

Scoop Jardine, Syracuse, G, Sr., 6-2 190, Philadelphia, Pa.

Maalik Wayns, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-2, 200, Philadelphia, Pa.

2011-12 Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention

Andre Drummond, Connecticut, C, Fr., 6-11, 275, Middletown, Conn.

Shabazz Napier, Connecticut, G, So. 6-0, 170, Roxbury, Mass.

Cleveland Melvin, DePaul, F, So., 6-8, 208, Baltimore, Md.

Jae Crowder, Marquette, F, Sr., 6-6, 235, Villa Rica, Ga.

Augustus Gilchrist, USF, F/C, Sr., 6-10, 245, Clinton, Md.

Kevin Jones one of 50 finalists for the Wooden Award

West Virginia senior forward, Kevin Jones was named one of 50 players on the Wooden Award preseason watch list. Jones is coming off an up and down junior year, where he helped his team reach the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.

Jones enters his final year, looking to improve on his 13.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He will also be the leader once again on a fairly young team that could see at least two freshmen in the starting lineup. West Virginia opens their season on November 11th against Oral Roberts.

The Wooden Award goes to the Player of the Year and All-American selections. It is voted on by sportswriters from around the nation. Other Big East players on the Watch list are Tim Abromaitis (Notre Dame), Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh), Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph (Syracuse), Darius Johnson-Odom (Marquette), Jeremy Lamb and Alex Oriakhi (UConn), Peyton Siva (Louisville), and Maalik Waynes (Vilanova).