Oct. 1—Tyler Jones has gotten used to taking the long way around in her basketball career.
Knocked out by a devastating knee injury during her sophomore year of high school, Jones spent 16 months recovering when other players her age were neck deep in the college recruiting process.
“It was a rocky road for sure,” says Jones, a 5-foot-9 guard who is now preparing for her freshman season with UNM women’s basketball team. “Coming back from injury definitely impacted recruiting. Even my junior year I was playing with a brace and not 100% mentally (focused). When I got the ball rolling again my senior year and got an offer from New Mexico, it was such an amazing feeling.”
Jones can be forgiven if she’s hoping to take something of a shortcut with the Lobos. The Memphis native is getting consistent practice repetitions at point guard and hoping to earn minutes at the position this season.
Junior college transfer and reigning WBCA Player of the Year Cacia Antonio figures to line up as the Lobos’ primary point guard, but the backup role remains up for grabs with three weeks remaining until UNM’s first exhibition game against Adams State. Senior Alyssa Hargrove started at the point last season, but she could be employed in more a scoring role in 2025-26 — if one of UNM’s newcomers is ready to play the No. 1 spot.
Jones and fellow freshman Laila Abdurraqib, both of whom played point guard in high school, would seem to be the likeliest candidates. Both have been bringing the ball up during the scrimmage portions of UNM’s practices.
Jones admits it’s a steep learning curve, but she’s doing her best to get comfortable at the point.
“I played point guard a lot my last two years of high school,” she said, “but the college level is very different. I’m taking notes from everyone who’s willing to help and trying to get comfortable. I definitely want to be that option when my name is called.”
Lobos coach Mike Bradbury said the early returns on Jones have been encouraging.
“Tyler has all the tools,” Bradbury said. “She can handle the ball, great quickness, good defender and and she can shoot it. She just needs experience and time at the position, but she’s working hard and getting better every week.”
Jones said the pace of college life and basketball has been an adjustment, particularly after the long-term grind of injury rehab. She suffered a torn ACL, torn meniscus, bone bruise and an MCL sprain of her right knee in 2022.
“I kind of went tone deaf after they said ACL,” she recalled. “I pretty much tore up everything. The good news is, I’m 100% now, not even thinking about it any more.”
Jones said a friendship between her high school coach and UNM associate head coach Keith Freeman helped pave her path to Albuquerque — a place she initially knew little about.
“It’s a lot different from Memphis,” she said, “but as soon as I got here it felt like home. Players like (Joana Magalhães, Hargrove and Drew Jordon) just kind of helped me build confidence fit in. This team keeps me on my toes, too. When I’m not playing, I’m one that likes to relax and chill but this team has crazy energy. There’s always something to laugh about. I love it.”
MILEAGE POINTS: Coming from Memphis, Jones is 1,008 miles from home at UNM. That’s actually the shortest such distance for any of this season’s Lobos, with Pasco, Washington-native Kaia Foster second at 1,222 miles. UNM’s roster includes three players from Europe and three from Africa.
READY TO HOWL: The Lobos men’s and women’s basketball team will share the stage at Saturday’s Lobo Howl. Unlike previous events where the women’s team appeared first and was followed by the men’s team, players from both programs will participate in 3-point-shooting and skills competitions. Neither team plans to scrimmage during the Howl, which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
