Casey Jones will be moving from a suburb of New Orleans to play basketball at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga next summer.

His older sister will be moving to the Scenic City as well.

"We're really close, and I plan on moving up there to make sure he's OK and make sure that he has somebody from his family up there," 25-year-old Whitney Jones said Tuesday. "I don't have any kids, so I can make a move like that. I'm excited for my brother."

The 6-foot-5 wing chose UTC over Tulane and Louisiana-Monroe.

And even though his sister will be joining him in the move north, it's a family atmosphere that attracted Jones to UTC.

"It's the family element, and I felt like Coach [John] Shulman's own son," Jones said. "And when I got close to the team, I felt the love and they're the ones."

Jones is the third player from Louisiana to join the Mocs in recent years. Troy Cage graduated and Jamal Burroughs hosted Jones on his visit to UTC a few weeks ago.

Jones averaged about 22 points and eight rebounds per game last year at L.W. Higgins High School in Marrero, La. He intends for those numbers to increase in his senior season.

"You'll be hearing from me this year by my stats," Jones said. "I want to get to Chattanooga with a bang."

Having family in town should ease his transition from prep star to college player.

"It's going to help me be less homesick knowing that [Whitney] will be here with me," Jones said. "But I know that UTC has a family-like environment. I like that."