CLINTON – After winning a prestigious tournament in California and two American South Conference games in Texas, the Mississippi College Choctaws started a two-game homestand the right way.

The Choctaws’ (11-1, 8-0 in the ASC) recent four-win road trip vaulted coach Mike Jones’ team into the NCAA Division III Top 10. MC is ranked ninth in this week’s poll and won its 12th straight game by beating the University of Texas at Dallas 66-54 Thursday night at A.E. Wood Coliseum. On Saturday at 3 p.m., MC hosts UT-Tyler (2-9, 2-6).

A big part of the Choctaws’ success this season is due to former Vicksburg High guard D.J. Jones. The 6-foot-3 senior leads MC in scoring at 14.3 points per game.

As a junior, Jones made his mark as a defender, earning the ASC’s Defensive Player of the Year honor. His offensive game has taken off this season as the former Gator is hitting 60.6 percent of his shots from the field, including 57.1 percent from 3-point range.

&#8220D.J.’s role hasn’t changed for us,” said Mike Jones, who returned to coaching for the first time since 1999 after serving as MC’s athletic director.

&#8220D.J. is a combo guard who can play the point, guard, penetrate and make shots from the perimeter. He’s become a complete player,” Mike Jones said.

D.J. Jones, who led Vicksburg High to the Class 5A state title in 2003, has scored in double figures in 10 of MC’s 13 games. He’s tallied a season high 21 points twice in wins over Concordia-Austin and Texas Lutheran.

Jones had a team-high 19 points on 6-for-9 shooting in Thursday’s win over UT-Dallas. He was also a perfect 7-for-7 from the foul line.

Mike Jones said D.J. has been a big key in the team’s 11-1 start. They hope to repeat as ASC champions and go further in the Division III playoffs.

&#8220We’re continuing to build on what we’ve done so far,” Mike Jones said. &#8220We’re playing well right now. We’ve been very good on the road against adverse conditions. We did a good job of holding our composure.”

MC defeated a pair of Top 25 teams in California, beating No. 13 Johns Hopkins and No. 24 Westmont. They picked up a pair of ASC wins in Texas at Sul Ross State and Howard Payne last week.