Verdell Jones III adjusts to new role

It was anything but a senior swan song.

When IU senior Verdell Jones III drove and looked for an open man in transition, he didn’t think it would be his last time. When Jones scored his 1,347th point in the second half of IU’s 85-74 win against Purdue in the regular-season finale, he didn’t think it would be his last collegiate basket.

But instead of dwelling on the final events, Jones embraced a first yesterday afternoon. Despite tearing his right ACL in IU’s first round win against Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament, Jones celebrated with his teammates yesterday when the Hoosiers were announced as a No. 4 seed on the NCAA Tournament selection show.

“It was very bittersweet,” Jones said. “It’s a moment I’ve been waiting for since I came to IU. Even though I got to enjoy it with my team, it’s kind of a bitter time not to be able to participate when the game starts. But I’m happy for this team because they’ve been through just as much as I have.”

Jones has been there for all the high’s and low’s the past four seasons.

He was there in 2009-10 when he narrowly missed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer that would’ve sent IU into overtime against then-No. 7 Purdue.

Jones was on the scorer’s table above the IU students that flooded Branch McCracken Court after Christian Watford’s three-pointer at the buzzer drowned No. 1 Kentucky.

He was on that same floor well after the Minnesota game a month later. This time, he was getting shots up after IU’s only home loss of the season — a game in which Jones finished with zero points on 0-for-6 shooting.

No matter how hot and cold Jones’ career has been, IU Coach Tom Crean said the senior is irreplaceable.

“There’s no way — even with the way some of our guys have played — there’s no way we’re sitting in here today without the contributions that he’s made, certainly over his career but when you look at the season he had,” Crean said.

The season Jones had was not his best offensive season. The 7.5 points per game was half of what he averaged as a sophomore. Instead of being IU’s second leading scorer, Jones was sixth on that totem pole.

The senior came off the bench every game following a shoulder injury that sidelined him earlier in the season. But Jones found other ways to contribute.

Despite averaging four fewer minutes per game than last season, Jones divvied out just as many assists with less turnovers.

That came to a screeching halt when Jones’ IU career ended with one awkward landing.

“Right when it happened, I knew it wasn’t good,” Jones said. “It didn’t set in until Dr. Ahlfeld came in and said it was the ACL and that I was done. Hearing those words, it was tough. My parents were there and it was one of the toughest times.”

Jones has now let the sting of his career-ending injury sink in for three days. His role has shifted once again, this time to another coach on Crean’s staff.

“My biggest focus now is guys like Victor (Oladipo) and Remy (Abell) and guys like that,” Jones said. “I’m just going to give them bits and pieces of what I see on the bench and it’s hopefully helping them in the games.”

Abell has already stepped up in Jones’ absence before. When Jones was sidelined with a shoulder injury on Feb. 4, Abell delivered a career-high 13 points and knocked down a three-pointer in the final two minutes to cement the IU win.

The freshman point guard, who figures to again see an increase in minutes, said having Jones in his corner will be critical in his first NCAA Tournament.

“I’m just happy to be a part of it and to have somebody like Verdell teach me and help me along the way,” Abell said. “Even when he was playing, he was helping me. I’m just going to take what he says, what the coaches say and what the rest of my teammates say and apply it on the court.”

For now, all Jones can do is live through his teammates during IU’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in the Crean era.

Four and a half months ago at Big Ten Media Day, Jones told the IDS he was sick and tired of watching other Indiana schools celebrate on Selection Sunday while IU was stuck at home. Now, IU is the highest seed of any Indiana school in the field.

“It feels just as great as beating those Indiana teams,” Jones said. “We’re finally getting our dominance back and hopefully we can keep building it in the tournament.”

IU will be without the kid who has played more minutes than anybody on the roster. They’ll be without the kid who stuck with IU after a 6-25 season. They’ll be without the kid who took the lesser role as a senior for the greater good.

When Jones acts as an assistant coach from the IU sidelines this Thursday, he’ll once again be doing it for the greater good.

“I’m a tough guy,” Jones said. “I’m very mentally strong and this is just another chapter to my book."