Expectations were raised for Jones's junior season, when Jones, along with teammate Acie Law IV, was named to the John R. Wooden pre-season top 50 All-American watch list, and the team received a Number 13 rank in the pre-season AP poll, The Aggies have ranked as high as Number 6, the highest rank the school had ever achieved. The team had their best start since opening 16-2 in the 1959-1960 season, as well as their best conference opening since the inception of the Big 12.