Kevin T. Connor, The Examiner
2006-12-15 08:00:00.0
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College Park -

When the crowd at Comcast Center rhetorically shouts “Who,” the response is “Mike Jones!”

Maryland’s senior guard gave fans in College Park plenty to shout about Wednesday, when he set a team record for three-pointers in a game with nine straight in a 101-50 blowout of Missouri-Kansas City. Jones finished with a team and career high of 27 points.

“We had to take advantage of every situation,” Jones said of the Kangaroos’ zone defense that allowed the Terps a school-record 17 three-pointers. “I was open several times throughout the game — not just myself, but most of our guards.”

Over the prior three games, as the Terps (10-2) went 1-2, Jones shot 10 for 25 from the field and 6 for 13 from three-point range. Despite that slump, he has managed to shoot 47 percent from the field and 46 percent from three-point range on the year and is the Terps’ second-leading scorer this season at 13.7 points per game.

Jones, who averaged 10.5 points a game last year, has continued to raise his field-goal percentage through his four years at Maryland, but his average from behind the arc has fluctuated. Coach Gary Williams recognizes his shooting skill, but understands that he is a streaky shooter.

“When Mike is on his game, nobody shoots it better,” Williams said. “He is as good a shooter as there is around. Mike was really getting good looks and he was in a great rhythm [Wednesday]. It just seemed like everything was flowing.”

Fellow senior guard D.J. Strawberry talked to his friend before the Missouri-Kansas City game. He and Jones knew they had to go back to the intense, fun style of play that propelled the Terps to an 8-0 start.

“He and I were really clicking early in the season together,” said Strawberry, whose 20 points Wednesday were a career high. “We just had to get our minds right and come out to a hot start, and once we did that, we let it go from there.”

Clearly, it was the best performance of Jones’ career.

“I can’t think of any other time [I was that hot],” he said. “We just had fun and worked hard.”

BREAKING THE BOOKS

» Jones’ nine 3-pointers Wednesday broke the Terps’ record set by former NBA player Walt Williams in 1992.

» Jones tied the old mark of seven 3-pointers last season against Temple.