Can Washington State lean on Isaac Jones for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament?
By Sam Fariss
The Washington State Cougars have broken into the national standings and are currently ranked No. 19 on the AP Poll. The team is second in the Pac-12 and has only lost 7 games so far this season.
With a ticket to the NCAA Tournament in sight, can the Cougs continue to depend on the players who have gotten them this far?
So far, forward Isaac Jones has been playing lights out for Wazzu. He is averaging 15.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
However, with zero tournament experience in his career, will Jones be able to put up the same numbers if his team makes it to March Madness? Who are the other players Washington State could lean on if Jones falters?
Washington State MBB Team Stats:
The Cougs recently upset No. 4 Arizona on the road, defeating the Wildcats 77-74 in Tucson. The big-time win was unfortunately followed by a 12-point loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils.
With inconsistencies showing this late in the season, let’s focus on the overview of Washington State’s season:
Team | PPG | RPG | AST | STLS-TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cougars | 75 | 37.8 | 351 | 147-294 |
Opponents | 67 | 32.3 | 297 | 148-297 |
Washington State is outperforming its opponents in nearly every category of the stat book.
However, the turnover ratio for the Cougs can’t maintain its current pace if they want to make a deep run in March. Turning the ball over twice as often as you’re taking it away from the other team isn’t a sustainable way to play games and expect to win.
Isaac Jones Stats:
Individually, Jones is the team’s leader on the court, literally. With the highest average points and rebounds per game, he helps keep the Cougars in games and outpace their opponents.
Here’s a look at his overall stat line:
Points | FG% | OR | DR | AST | BLK | STL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15.8 | 58.2 | 2.2 | 5.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 |
One area that Jones could, and should, focus on improving is his defensive game. While his rebounds on the defensive end of the court are a definite highlight, he averages less than a steal per game.
My dad used to say, “Offense wins games but defense wins championships.” I think that Jones could maybe take a note from that phrase to help carry his team through the tourney.
Another thing lacking from Washington State’s season that could spell disaster for its tournament run is games against ranked opponents. The Pac-12 has only had Arizona in the top 25 until Wazzu broke through. The Wildcats have been the Cougars’ only games against a ranked team.
While Washington State defeated Arizona while the team was ranked No. 8 and No. 4, I’m not confident that the Cougs can keep up with other nationally ranked teams.
If Jones can improve his production on defense and maintain his stellar shooting percentage, I think that Wazzu can lead on its senior forward in March, and hopefully into April.
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