College basketball rankings: Kam Jones, a candidate for Big East Player of the Year, has Marquette in top five

UConn’s Alex Karaban was the best returning player for the back-to-back national champions who doubled as the preseason favorites in the Big East. So it made sense when the junior forward was voted the Big East’s Preseason Player of the Year.

No objection here.

But, nearly six weeks into this season, it’s Marquette’s Kam Jones who has emerged as the likely winner of the actual award when it’s handed out in March. The 6-foot-5 senior from Memphis is averaging 20.3 points, 6.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 58.2% from the field and 41.3% from 3-point range for a team that’s ranked fourth in Saturday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. It’s reasonable to suggest Jones now has a legitimate chance to become Marquette’s first Wooden Award winner in history. He already became the first Marquette player to record a triple-double since Dwyane Wade got one in the 2003 NCAA Tournament.

Purdue’s Matt Painter was on the wrong end of Jones’ 17-point, 13-rebound, 10-assist performance last month. When it was over, he had positive words for Marquette’s best player and leader.

“He got 13 rebounds as a point guard. He got 10 assists. When he came here, he wasn’t that,” Painter said. “He came here as a shooter — and now he’s a player. And he’s really helping his cause. Hats off to him.”

Propelled by Jones’ All-American-level play, Marquette is 9-1 with wins over Purdue, Maryland and Wisconsin (and a lone loss at Iowa State) heading into Saturday night’s game at Dayton. Anthony Grant’s Flyers, ranked 20th in the Top 25 And 1, are listed as 1.5-point favorites over Marquette. Tip is scheduled for 7 ET on CBS Sports Network.