SALT LAKE CITY — After a superb week in which he led Utah to victories over Washington and Washington State, Utah freshman guard Rylan Jones has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week.
Jones came up big in the clutch in both games as he scored all 13 of his points in the final 5:25 against the Huskies to help lift the Utes to a 67-66 victory. Then two nights later, he scored 15 of his game-high 24 points in the final 8:30 as the Utes took a 76-64 victory.
This is the first such honor for Jones and Utah since the award was added this season.
Just past the halfway point of his freshman season, the former Olympus High standout has already moved into a tie for fifth in the freshman record books with 35 made 3-pointers on the year, tying him with Jordan Loveridge and Keith Van Horn. Jones is averaging 11.1 points per game, is fourth in the Pac-12 in assists at 4.9 per game, second in free-throw percentage at 87.9% and sixth in 3-point shooting at 41.7%.
Jones and the 12-7 Utes will try to keep things going this week with games at USC Thursday night and at UCLA Sunday afternoon.