By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After junior guard/forward Anna Jones transferred to Tennessee Tech after two seasons at Middle Tennessee, the question was when the Jackson, Tenn., native would be able to suit up in the Purple and Gold.
That was answered this week as the NCAA granted immediate eligibility to Jones, allowing her to compete when the season begins.
"This is great news for Anna but also great news for our program," said Tech head coach Kim Rosamond. "Anna joined us last January, and our team has witnessed every day since her arrival how much of an impact she is capable of making on the court. We can't wait for our fans to see her in a Tech uniform next week."
In her two seasons with the Blue Raiders, Jones averaged 6.4 points and 3.2 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per game. She saw action in 65 games, starting six as a freshman, then seeing her presence grow as a sophomore when she started 30 of the team's 34 games.
During her sophomore campaign, Jones shot .380 from the field and had a .786 mark at the charity stripe for 227 points. She was also a tremendous presence on defense, collecting 122 rebounds, 10 blocks and 35 steals.
Her top scoring game as a freshman as she was 10-for-17 from the field, including 8-for-13 beyond the arc for a career-high 30 points at UTEP on January 13, 2018. Jones earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team, two C-USA Freshman of the Week nods and a selection as the U.S. Basketball Writers Association National Freshman of the Week.
"Anna is extremely versatile and can play multiple positions to go along with her size and length. She can shoot the 3, score off the bounce and rebounds the ball really well. Beyond her ability, Anna is just a really tough, hard-nosed player. She has a grittiness and relentlessness to her that has been a great addition to our team, and those traits carry over to the defensive end.
"She has earned the respect and trust of her teammates in a short amount of time, and we are all excited about her gaining her eligibility for the fall semester."
Jones was a prized prospect out of high school. A three-time TSSAA Division II-A Miss Basketball finalist, she had a tremendous career at the University School of Jackson, becoming the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,794 points and rebounder with 815, while also tabbing 461 steals and 372 assists.
Combined with a veteran group under Rosamond's guidance, Jones looks to be a valuable asset in the Golden Eagles' quest for their 19th Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title, 10th OVC tournament crown and 11th NCAA Tournament appearance in the program's 50th year.
Tech's season opener presently stands as the conference opener on December 3 at Jacksonville State, but the team is working to replace the originally scheduled contests at Vanderbilt on November 25 and Chattanooga on November 29 that were canceled for quarantine. Continue to follow TTUsports.com for updates or on Tech women's basketball social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Season tickets are on sale for Tennessee Tech basketball. Seating will be limited and spaced in accordance with NCAA and OVC guidelines. To order, call (931) 372-3940, visit TTUsports.com or visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office.
