Jackson named to wooden award preseason top-50

For the second time in his career, University of Memphis' Joe Jackson has been named to the John R. Wooden Award Presented by Wendy's Preseason Top-50, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Tuesday. It is the third-consecutive season a Tiger has been on the Wooden Award's preseason list, as Jackson and Will Barton were 2011-12 candidates and Adonis Thomas a 2012-13 nominee.

In October, Jackson was a unanimous selection to the 2013-14 preseason All-American Athletic Conference first team and a 2013-14 Bob Cousy Award Watch List nominee.

Jackson is one of five players from the American Athletic Conference among the Wooden Award's Top-50. Joining Jackson on the Wooden Award preseason list were Louisville's Montrezl Harrell and Russ Smith, Cincinnati's Sean Kilpatrick and Connecticut's Shabazz Napier.

Last season, Jackson was the 2012-13 Conference USA Player of the Year. The 6-foot-1, 174-pound guard also earned All-C-USA first team, USBWA All-District IV and NABC All-District 11 first team honors in 2012-13.

A Memphis, Tenn., native, Jackson led the Tigers with a 13.6 scoring average and 173 assists in 2012-13. He enters the 2013-14 season with 1,209 points and 413 assists for his career. His 1,209 points are No. 24 on the Memphis all-time scoring chart, and his 413 assists are No. 8 on the Tigers career assists list.

Memphis (0-0), ranked No. 13 in the first regular-season polls released Nov. 11, hosts its season and home opener Thursday, Nov. 14 when it welcomes Austin Peay (1-0) to FedExForum. Thursday's game, slated for a SportSouth telecast, tips off at 7 p.m. (CT).