Texas A&M point guard Jordan Jones helped lead the Aggies to a hard-fought overtime victory against Duke, and the visit to Durham carried added weight for her.
Jones’ brother—Blue Devil shooting guard Matt Jones—had a rare opportunity to see his sister play and sat courtside on the baseline. He also joined his sister in the media room at Cameron Indoor Stadium for her postgame press conference.
“I just came out with a lot of confidence, just wanted to show out for my brother because I do not get that chance very often. Part of it was competing against him because he did score 16 [Tuesday night against Kentucky],” Jordan Jones said. “I just love him so much. I haven’t played in front of him since high school, so it was just a big moment for me.”
Jones nearly matched her brother’s scoring output in Tuesday’s Champions Classic loss to the Wildcats, but fell just short with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting—including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. The senior remained poised throughout the game with five assists and two turnovers, and she tacked on five rebounds. After Duke freshman Angela Salvadores tied the game in the fourth quarter with a step-back jumper, Jones responded with one of the biggest shots of the game—a 3-pointer on the next possession to give the Aggies the lead again.
Her development as a legitimate offensive threat reminded Aggie head coach Gary Blair of her brother’s career trajectory.
“There are only two McDonald's All-Americans that are currently active on the men and women’s sides that are brother and sister,” he said. “Isn’t it funny? Both are known as great defensive players, and they are turning into offensive players now as they get older. I think that’s special.”
It was remarkable that Jordan Jones was even on the court Wednesday with a chance to play in front of her brother. The Desoto, Texas, native tore her ACL last February and missed the rest of the season, but rehabbed quickly in the offseason and returned for limited minutes in Texas A&M’s season opener. In a game in which the Aggies needed every second she could give them, Jones played 41 minutes Wednesday against the Blue Devils.
“She just came in and I do not want her to play that many minutes just coming off of an ACL,” Blair said. “But she is the heart and soul of our team.”
That’s the same kind of praise that regularly gets heaped on Matt Jones as a floor leader on an inexperienced Duke team.
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