FAYETTEVILLE — Five times throughout the 2018-19 season Mason Jones scored 15-plus points in a game then finished with six or less in his next outing.
He was arguably Arkansas' most hit-or-miss guard from a scoring and overall production standpoint. He admitted as much and, over the summer, said consistency was a major point of emphasis entering his junior season.
Razorbacks coach Eric Musselman has pushed Jones in that regard since his hiring in April. Shortly after Musselman arrived, the two spoke and Jones' goals were made clear: I want to be great, and I want you to push me to be a pro.
There have been a couple of bumps in the road for Jones in 2019-20, including when he tied a career low for minutes played (20) against Texas Southern, and in the Razorbacks' overtime loss at Western Kentucky. Jones finished the game 1 of 9 from the floor and later said he felt as if he let the team and coaching staff down.
Jones, however, leading into Wednesday's game at LSU, is in the midst of his best, most consistent run at Arkansas, and he credits much of that success to Musselman, who he shares a unique relationship with.
"Coach Muss is probably one of the best things that ever happened to me, probably, in my career," he said Tuesday. "This year has been nothing but as I planned and I wanted. ... He has done nothing but great things for me, and he has pushed me since the first day he got here.
"Our relationship is incredible. We always talk. I love the guy. The way he just treats me and lets my game establish and the way he has pushed me this year is unbelievable. There are so many words I could say for him."
Jones views the loss to the Hilltoppers as something of a turning point in his season, and the numbers back that up, too. He has scored in double figures in four consecutive games (Tulsa, Valparaiso, Indiana, Texas A&M) for the first time since arriving at Arkansas, and his run began with a 41-point outburst against the Golden Hurricane.
He then knocked down two critical 3-pointers late in comeback wins over Valparaiso and at Indiana. And in the SEC opener against Texas A&M, he turned in a well-rounded game: 17 points, six rebounds, three steals and three assists versus one turnover.
Jones' perimeter numbers during this four-game stretch are impressive as well. He has connected on 15 of 36 attempts (41.7 percent) beyond the arc. He hit a season-high five against Tulsa and four in wins over the Hoosiers and Aggies.
He is 7 of 15 from 3-point range on the left wing and a sizzling 6 of 10 from the top of the key. He has been deadly from deep off the dribble and moving left, shooting at nearly a 50-percent clip. His lone 3 from the right wing (1 of 5) came Saturday against Texas A&M. It resulted in a 4-point play.
Musselman noted that Jones, following games, communicates with him regularly, seeking feedback on his performance and areas in which he can improve.
"The one thing with Mason is he’s an amazing offensive player," Musselman said. "We’re putting him in positions he’s never been in in his life. A lot of these guys, their roles, like, they might have had that role in high school or they might have had that role in AAU ball. Mason is playing offensively in a completely different area than he’s ever been in.
"We’re having him be a point guard on offense or a point-forward, whatever you want to call it. He’s creating mismatches for us offensively."
Jones is more than the Razorbacks' leading scorer at 19.5 per game, though. He averages a team-high 6.2 rebounds and leads the way with 33 assists and 23 steals despite missing one game due to a shoulder injury. Jones is top 10 in the SEC in steal rate at 3.3 percent, according to KenPom analytics.
Again, he gave Musselman a nod for his improved play on the defensive end. Jones' personal defensive rating, according to SportsReference, sits at 89.4, down from 109.3 last season.
"Not saying be more aggressive, but just knowing when to be aggressive and when not to be aggressive," Jones said of the coach's advice. "Just watching film with me every day, sending me little clips. He’s always helping me and just keeping me prepared for the next game. That really did help me this year, especially with consistency.
"He wanted me to be more consistent this year and that was probably one of my biggest goals. So, just to see that I’m able to be consistent game in and game out (is a positive), and he is one of the big reasons why I am."
Musselman has seen lots of growth and maturity in Jones this season.
"As far as our relationship goes, I love him," he said. "I love coaching him. No day is ever the same with Mason Jones, I will say that."