Men's Basketball
Jones named to final 30 for men’s player of year award from Atlanta Tipoff Club
Arkansas junior Mason Jones is one of 30 players named to the midseason list for the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday.
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas junior Mason Jones is one of 30 players named to the midseason list for the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday.
Ten semifinalists for the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Men’s Player of the Year will be announced on March 5 and the finalists will be revealed on March 17.
The winner will be announced on April 5 at the Naismith Awards Brunch in Atlanta.
Jones, who ranks second in the NCAA in free throws made (154), currently leads the SEC in scoring (20.0 ppg) and is the only player in the league to lead his team in scoring, rebounding (6.0 avg.), assists (77) and steals (39).
He also the only player in the SEC to rank among the league’s top 20 in both scoring (1st) and rebounding (20th) while also ranking among the league’s top 11 in steals (6th; 1.7 avg.) and assists (11th; 3.3 avg.).
The Desoto, Texas, native additionally ranks among the SEC leaders in free throw percentage (6th; 82.4 percent), defensive rebounds (6th; 1.54 avg.), 3-point field goals made per game (8th, 2.0 avg.), field goals made (8th; 130) and field goal percentage (11th; 42.5 percent).
Jones, a three-time SEC Player of the Week in 2019-20, has scored at least 30 points five times this season, including 41 points versus Tulsa and 40 versus Alabama.
He is just the third SEC player over the last 30 years to have multiple 40-point games. Others include Kentucky Jodie Meeks (3) and LSU’s Shaquille O’Neal (2).
Naismith Trophy 2020 Midseason Team
• Precious Achiuwa (Memphis)
• Udoka Azubuike (Kansas)
• Kamar Baldwin (Butler)
• Saddiq Bey (Villanova)
• Jared Butler (Baylor)
• Vernon Carey (Duke)
• Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois)
• Devon Dotson (Kansas)
• Anthony Edwards (Georgia)
• Malachi Flynn (San Diego State)
• Jordan Ford (St. Mary’s)
• Luka Garza (Iowa)
• Markus Howard (Marquette)
• Mason Jones (Arkansas)
• Tre Jones (Duke)
• Nathan Knight (William & Mary)
• John Mooney (Notre Dame)
• Jordan Nwora (Louisville)
• Daniel Oturu (Minnesota)
• Filip Petrusev (Gonzaga)
• Myles Powell (Seton Hall)
• Payton Pritchard (Oregon)
• Nick Richards (Kentucky)
• Fatts Russell (Rhode Island)
• Jalen Smith (Maryland)
• Lamar Stevens (Penn State)
• Isaiah Stewart (Washington)
• Obi Toppin (Dayton)
• Kaleb Wesson (Ohio State)
• Cassius Winston (Michigan State)
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
| Thu, Aug 29 |  | vs UAPB (Little Rock) | W, 70-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | @ Oklahoma State | L, 31-39 2OT |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | vs UAB | W, 37-27 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | @ Auburn | W, 24-14 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Texas A&M (Arl) | L, 21-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | vs Tennessee | W, 19-14 |
| Sat, Oct 19 |  | vs LSU | L, 34-10 |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | @ Mississippi State | W, 58-25 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | vs Ole Miss | L, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Texas | 11:00 AM |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | vs Louisiana Tech | TBD ESPN+/SECN+ |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | @ Missouri | TBD |
| Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll: | ||||
| OVERALL | Record | Pts | Prv | |
| 1. | Bryant (18) | 8-0 | 252 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway (6) | 8-0 | 230 | 2 |
| 3. | Greenwood (2) | 8-0 | 210 | 3 |
| 4. | Little Rock Parkview | 7-1 | 171 | 4 |
| 5. | Bentonville | 5-3 | 141 | 6 |
| 6. | Benton | 7-1 | 126 | 5 |
| 7. | Fayetteville | 6-2 | 100 | 8 |
| 8. | Pulaski Academy | 6-2 | 75 | 7 |
| 9. | Rogers | 5-3 | 45 | 9 |
| 10. | Shiloh Christian | 6-2 | 40 | 10 |
| Others receiving votes: Marion 13, Valley View 9, Joe T Robinson 8, Mountain Home 4, Cabot 3, Elkins 3. | ||||
| CLASS 7A | ||||
| 1. | Bryant (20) | 8-0 | 124 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway (6) | 8-0 | 105 | 2 |
| 3. | Bentonville | 5-3 | 75 | 3 |
| 4. | Fayetteville | 6-2 | 45 | 5 |
| 5. | Pulaski Academy | 6-2 | 35 | 4 |
| Others receiving votes: Rogers 5. | ||||
| CLASS 6A | ||||
| 1. | Greenwood (26) | 8-0 | 130 | 1 |
| 2. | Benton | 7-1 | 102 | 2 |
| 3. | Shiloh Christian | 6-2 | 71 | 3 |
| 4. | Marion | 7-1 | 52 | 4 |
| 5. | Mountain Home | 7-1 | 31 | — |
| Others receiving votes: Little Rock Catholic 4. | ||||
| CLASS 5A | ||||
| 1. | Little Rock Parkview (23) | 7-1 | 127 | 1 |
| 2. | Joe T Robinson | 7-1 | 90 | 2 |
| 3. | Valley View (3) | 8-0 | 80 | 3 |
| 4. | Hot Springs Lakeside | 7-1 | 48 | 4 |
| 5. | Farmington | 7-1 | 30 | — |
| Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 4, Maumelle 4, Morrilton 3, Greenbrier 2, Harding Academy 1. | ||||
| CLASS 4A | ||||
| 1. | Elkins (19) | 8-0 | 116 | 1 |
| 2. | Arkadelphia (5) | 6-2 | 79 | 2 |
| 3. | Little Rock Mills (1) | 8-0 | 70 | 3 |
| 4. | Warren | 6-2 | 40 | 4 |
| 5. | Malvern (1) | 8-0 | 31 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 22, Southside Batesville 11, Mena 8, Bauxite 7, DeWitt 4, Highland 2. | ||||
| CLASS 3A | ||||
| 4. | Bismarck (15) | 8-0 | 105 | 4 |
| 5. | Fordyce (4) | 8-0 | 76 | 5 |
| Prescott (3) | 7-1 | 53 | 1t | |
| 1. | Osceola (2) | 6-1 | 49 | — |
| 3. | Mayflower (1) | 8-0 | 36 | — |
| Others receiving votes: Booneville (1) 31, Rivercrest 19, Mansfield 14, Charleston 4, Rison 3. | ||||
| CLASS 2A | ||||
| 1. | Carlisle (21) | 8-0 | 121 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway Christian (4) | 8-0 | 104 | 2 |
| 3. | Des Arc | 7-1 | 66 | 3 |
| 4. | Bigelow (1) | 6-2 | 45 | 5 |
| 5. | Murfreesboro | 6-2 | 30 | — |
| Others receiving votes: Marked Tree 10, Mineral Springs 6, Junction City 5, Cross County 1, Mount Ida 1, Poyen 1 | ||||
| 8-MAN SANCTIONED | ||||
| 1. | Strong-Huttig (25) | 5-0 | 76 | 1 |
| 2. | Midland (1) | 7-0 | 50 | 2 |
| 3. | Cedar Ridge | 7-1 | 25 | 3 |
| Others receiving votes: Rector 5. | ||||