WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Words and descriptions weren't working for Louisville coach Rick Pitino late in the second half of the Cardinals' 85-76 win against Wake Forest on Sunday night.

So Pitino came off the sidelines a few feet onto the court and put a hand on point guard Chris Jones' back while pointing with his other hand. He pushed Jones forward as if it were a practice run-through. Jones tried, to no avail, to convince his coach he was supposed to go in the opposite direction.

Finally, with the ball about to be put in play, Jones finally just shrugged his shoulders in exasperation.

Life as Louisville's point guard is sometimes like that for Jones.

But it really was the same way for Peyton Siva. And Edgar Sosa, And Andre McGee. And the rest of the list of Cardinals' point guards who have played under Pitino. (The only exception may be combo guards forced into the role, such as Russ Smith and Taquan Dean.) It's the most difficult position on the floor in his system and, as a byproduct, it is the most demanding.

"Coming into here I never had a coach to yell at me like he yells at me, and puts the pressure on me," Jones said. "If it's something wrong, he doesn't say anything to anyone else but me because I'm the point guard."

Jones has been at a bit of a disadvantage. He is a junior college transfer who is just in his second year trying to figure it all out. Siva didn't consistently show his potential until the Cards' run to the 2012 Final Four. But Jones won't have that luxury.

That's why games like Ohio State and Kentucky still happen for Jones. He shot 3-of-15 in both games, including four turnovers against the Buckeyes.

It's also why Jones will have games like he did against the Deacons. Jones scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half -- going 7-of-13 from the field -- and dished a career-high 10 assists to help the Cards hold off a rally.

"Chris Jones was brilliant," Pitino said.

It's probably not something Jones has heard many times this season. His performance against Indiana (24 points, nine rebounds, five assists) was one, but that was an up-and-down pace that played into his athleticism.

The times when he has had to pause and be more deliberate, he has resorted to thinking as a scorer not a playmaker. That's not exactly the formula Louisville needs him to follow.

"All Chris Jones has to do to be one of the better point guards in the country is listen," Pitino said. "Now he's gone from never listening in junior college and high school to listening about 70 percent of the time. All he's got to do is get it to 100 percent and we've got ourselves a special player."

His shooting percentages are down from last season as he entered the Wake game shooting 30 percent from the floor and just 29 percent from 3-point range.

Pitino sat him down after the loss to the Wildcats and tried to show him it wasn't his shooting form that was at fault. It was his shot selection.

Jones also heard the same things, in much less pleasant terms, through social media from the fan base. So instead of testing the line between good and bad shots, he overcompensated by not taking any shots against Long Beach State.

That's no good for the Cards. In order to live up to their top-five ranking and challenge for the ACC crown, they need Jones' scoring. He just has to be smart about it.

"I had a lot of heat coming out of the Kentucky game that I didn't like," Jones said. "I know what our fans meant I took it to heart I went to the gym every morning at 6 in the morning and just got better. I'm going to keep working and keep my teammates happy."

Jones is really the Cards' only veteran option at point guard. And aside from his offensive struggles, he's arguably the team's best on-ball defender. Louisville will have to live with his growing pains for better or worse. As for the communication with Pitino, Jones said he's more attentive than his coach lets on.

"I'd say I listen 80 percent now," Jones said. "I'll tell him he was 10 percent wrong."