Some players are more comfortable coming off of the bench than they are starting. Often, the opposite is true. For Curtis Jones, it doesn't seem to matter. Wednesday night provided the latest reminder.
Final score: Iowa State 74, Kansas 57.
Jones, the senior guard who transferred from Buffalo in advance of last season, started for just the third time at Iowa State, took 17 shots, made nine of them and finished with 25 points in a 74-57 win over Kansas. Four days earlier, Jones came off of the bench, like he usually does, took 15 shots, made eight of them and finished with 26 points in an 85-84 win at Texas Tech.
Jones is averaging 24.7 points in ISU's past three games.
"Repeating myself each week, but Curtis Jones is one of the most improved players I've covered in the Big 12 in 22 years," ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla posted to social media on Wednesday. "He will be first team all-league and make a run at All-American teams."
Jones is now averaging 17.8 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 41.4% from 3-point range on 6.9 attempts per game after averaging just 2.5 points per contest as a freshman at Buffalo. That makes him, like Fraschilla said, undeniably improved -- plus the leading scorer for an Iowa State team that's 15-1 and No. 2 in Thursday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings.
Iowa State's only loss?
That came in November to Auburn -- the team that's No. 1 in the Top 25 And 1 for the ninth consecutive morning. So, nearly 11 full weeks into this season, it's inarguable that TJ Otzelberger, for the second straight year, has a legitimate Final Four contender. The Cyclones are elite offensively, even better defensively and nothing worse than solid in basically every aspect of the game. They're an awesome team that will be tested with four games over the next 12 days, three of which will be on the road against opponents ranked in the top 80 at EvanMiya.com.
Iowa State won't pass Auburn in the rankings the Tigers lose, I don't think. But any argument in favor of the Cyclones being or becoming the sport's best team shouldn't be dismissed out of hand.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Chad Baker-Mazara finished with 20 points and two rebounds in Tuesday's 88-66 win over Mississippi State. The Tigers' next game is Saturday at Georgia. | -- | 16-1 |
| 2 |  | Curtis Jones finished with 25 points and six rebounds in Wednesday's 74-57 win over Kansas. The Cyclones' next game is Saturday at West Virginia. | -- | 15-1 |
| 3 |  | Kon Knueppel finished with 25 points and three assists in Tuesday's 89-54 win over Miami. The Blue Devils' next game is Saturday at Boston College. | -- | 15-2 |
| 4 |  | David Joplin finished with 30 points and four rebounds in Tuesday's 85-83 win at DePaul. The Golden Eagles' next game is Saturday against Xavier. | -- | 15-2 |
| 5 |  | Zakai Zeigler finished with 16 points and six steals in Wednesday's 74-56 win over Georgia. The Vols' next game is Saturday at Vanderbilt. | -- | 16-1 |
| 6 |  | Jaxson Robinson finished with 22 points and eight rebounds in Tuesday's 81-69 win over Texas A&M. The Wildcats' next game is Saturday against Alabama. | -- | 14-3 |
| 7 |  | Denzel Aberdeen was 1-of-5 from the field in Tuesday's 83-82 loss to Missouri. The Gators' next game is Saturday against Missouri. | -- | 15-2 |
| 8 |  | Labaron Philon was 0-of-8 from the field in Tuesday's 74-64 loss to Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide's next game is Saturday at Kentucky. | -- | 14-3 |
| 9 |  | Frankie Fidler finished with 18 points and four steals in Wednesday's 90-85 win over Penn State. The Spartans' next game is Sunday against Illinois. | -- | 15-2 |
| 10 |  | Jackson Shelstad finished with 17 points and eight assists in Sunday's 82-81 win at Penn State. The Ducks' next game is Saturday against Purdue. | 1 | 15-2 |
| 11 |  | Cameron Matthews was 2-of-10 from the field in Tuesday's 88-66 loss at Auburn. The Bulldogs' next game is Saturday against Ole Miss. | 1 | 14-3 |
| 12 |  | Hunter Dickinson was 3 of 10 from the field in Wednesday's 74-57 loss at Iowa State. The Jayhawks' next game is Saturday against Kansas State. | 2 | 12-4 |
| 13 |  | Trey Kaufman-Renn finished with 19 points and six rebounds in Wednesday's 69-58 win at Washington. The Boilermakers' next game is Saturday at Oregon. | -- | 14-4 |
| 14 |  | PJ Haggerty finished with 25 points and four rebounds in Saturday's 74-70 win over East Carolina. The Tigers' next game is Thursday at Temple. | -- | 13-3 |
| 15 |  | Malik Dia finished with 23 points and 19 rebounds in Tuesday's 74-64 win at Alabama. The Rebels' next game is Saturday at Mississippi State. | -- | 15-2 |
| 16 |  | Kylan Boswell finished with 22 points and seven rebounds in Tuesday's 94-69 win at Indiana. The Illini's next game is Sunday at Michigan State. | -- | 13-4 |
| 17 |  | Solomon Washington was 1-of-6 from the field in Tuesday's 81-69 loss at Kentucky. The Aggies' next game is Saturday against LSU. | -- | 13-4 |
| 18 |  | Vladislav Goldin finished with 19 points and seven rebounds in Sunday's 91-75 win over Washington. The Wolverines' next game is Thursday at Minnesota. | -- | 13-3 |
| 19 |  | Alex Karaban finished with 19 points and six rebounds in Saturday's 68-60 win at Georgetown. The Huskies' next game is Saturday against Creighton. | -- | 13-4 |
| 20 |  | Graham Ike finished with 21 points and five rebounds in Saturday's 88-75 win over Washington State. The Zags' next game is Thursday at Oregon State. | -- | 14-4 |
| 21 |  | J'Wan Roberts finished with 22 points and three rebounds in Wednesday's 70-54 win over West Virginia. The Cougars' next game is Saturday at UCF. | -- | 13-3 |
| 22 |  | John Tonje finished with 17 points and four rebounds in Tuesday's 70-68 win over Ohio State. The Badgers' next game is Saturday at USC. | 2 | 14-3 |
| 23 |  | Caleb Grill finished with 22 points and three rebounds in Tuesday's 83-82 win at Florida. The Tigers' next game is Saturday against Arkansas. | 2 | 14-3 |
| 24 |  | Blue Cain was 2 of 9 from the field in Wednesday's 74-56 loss at Tennessee. The Bulldogs' next game is Saturday against Auburn. | 1 | 14-3 |
| 25 |  | RJ Luis Jr. finished with 19 points and three rebounds in Tuesday's 63-58 win over Georgetown. The Red Storm's next game is Saturday at Seton Hall. | 1 | 15-3 |
| 26 |  | Jaden Bradley finished with 13 points and six assists in Tuesday's 81-70 win over Baylor. The Wildcats' next game is Saturday at Texas Tech. | NR | 11-5 |
In: Arizona
Out: Utah State
