Big South Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade ('13-23)

Big South Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

By Joey Loose | Jul 9, 2023

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 16: Amari Bailey #5 of the UCLA Bruins shoots over Drew Pember #4 of the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs and Tajion Jones #3 of the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 16, 2023 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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Big South Basketball Radford Highlanders guard Carlik Jones Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Carlik Jones

A 6’1 point guard from Cincinnati, Jones was a monumental contributor throughout his collegiate career. His impressive run in the Big South came at Radford between 2017 and 2020, leading the Highlanders to one of their best stretches in program history. Jones transferred to Louisville for his senior season but certainly made some unforgettable memories in the Big South beforehand.

It’s not just that he averaged 11.8 points a game as a freshman; Jones also took the Highlanders to a Big South Tournament title and a First Four victory over Long Island, with his first-ever double-double in that win. His offensive numbers got even better in the next two seasons, coming to a head in his junior year. Jones averaged 20.0 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game, coming just short of a triple-double against James Madison before a pair of 33-point performances against Hampton.

Big South Rookie of the Year and Tournament MVP already as a freshman, he was First Team All-Big South the next two seasons and was actually the conference’s Player of the Year in 2020. After the pandemic, he showed his value in the ACC at Louisville, but we won’t ignore what he did in the Big South. He was among the nation’s top scorers as a junior while also finishing among the conference’s best in steals and assists.