SAN ANGELO – Chris Jones has been named the Lone Star Conference's Defensive Player of the Week for the second straight week and for the third time this season after helping lead No. 19/15-ranked Angelo State to a 78-60 win over No. 3 Tarleton State last Wednesday at the Junell Center.

Jones, who is now second in the nation with 46 steals this season, recorded four steals and seven rebounds in the win over the Texans and helped limit TSU to a season-low in points and to 34.5 percent shooting. His steals total is only one behind Masceo Harmon (Central State) who leads NCAA Division II with 47 steals. He is the first three-time LSC Defensive Player of the Week this season and also has a LSC Offensive Player of the Week honor on his resume as well.

"Chris Jones is a winner," ASU head coach Chris Beard said. "He is one of the most humble unselfish people and best teammates I've ever coached. Obviously he is a special basketball player. He is very talented, he works very hard at his game, he is a team player, he wants to be coached hard daily, and he is tough both physically and mentally."

Jones has helped spearhead a season of defensive dominance for the Rams who are third in the nation by limiting opponents to 37.3 percent shooting and they lead the nation with a 30.3 scoring margin advantage. The team is ninth in the nation with 10.9 steals per game, 10th by forcing 153 steals and sixth with a 10.9 rebounding margin advantage.

Jones has recorded three or more steals in 11 of 14 games this season and has had 19 steals in the past four games. He established a season-high with seven steals in the win over York College and followed that effort with four more against the Texans. Along with being second in the nation in steals, he is 18th in the nation with 81 assists and 14th with a 64.0 field-goal percentage. Jones is adding 14.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game for the Rams who are off to the best start in program history with a 13-1 record. He has scored in double figures in 12 of 14 games, including scoring a career-high 23 points against Western State Colorado and Texas-Permian Basin. His had his first double-double of the season two weeks when he had 12 assists and 16 points against York College, missing out on a triple-double by only three steals.

Jones and the Rams return to action at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday against West Texas A&M in Canyon at the First United Bank Center.