Scoring has been the same way for the Wildcats (26-1, 12-0 Southeastern Conference), with different players leading the team in scoring in different games.
“My role doesn’t change from game to game. It’s like that for everyone when it comes to scoring,” Jones said. “Whoever has it going, it could be their night. It was Kyle Wiltjer’s night to score and not Mike’s. Next game it could be Mike going for 20 (points) and Kyle not scoring or Anthony could go off for a big amount. It changes for everyone every game.”
Guard Doron Lamb says that is why Kentucky is better this season than last year’s Final Four team.
“Last year it would have really hurt us if somebody was in foul trouble or having an off game,” Lamb said Saturday. “This year if somebody is off, we have a strong eight players and it is way easier on us. We don’t have to do that much. If we are having an off game, somebody will pick it up for us like Kyle did for AD (Davis against Mississippi).
“We have a full team, even if some people don’t think so. When Kyle comes in and gives us points and rebounds, we are way better and he did that today. He hit 3-balls he needed, and we need that from here on. We never know when Anthony or anyone else will get in foul trouble. He might get in foul trouble in the (NCAA) tournament. Eloy (Vargas) can come in and give us good minutes if needed. We just have more options this year.”
Lamb sees no reason Kentucky cannot win the national championship.
“I don’t think nobody can really beat us if we are playing our ‘A’ game for 40 minutes. If we lose, we just didn’t do something we normally do right,” he said. “We are all clicking right now and all playing great. Our crowd is always following us and supporting us no matter where we play. I think if we keep doing what we are doing, we will go all the way.
“We are better than last year because we have more weapons and we play way better defense. Just very long. Anthony is a big part of our defense blocking shots, and we are very athletic at every position. We’re just better overall.”
And focused.
Kentucky has not lost since Dec. 10 at Indiana. The Cats take an 18-game win streak into Tuesday night’s game at Mississippi State, then have two home games and one road game at Florida left before the postseason.
“We stay focused. I just think it is how we respect every team that we play and know that they are usually going to give us their chance and any game that we don’t bring it, we can lose,” Jones said. “When we are making 3-points shots like we did (10 for 18 against Ole Miss), we are really good. Doron, Darius, Kyle and even Marquis can really shoot.
“With the penetration we get from our guards and even myself, guys get left wide open. A lot of teams play zone on us, and I just think our offense is perfect to get wide open shots for the guys who need to shoot them and make them.”
Miller made three of them Saturday and is a 38 percent shooter from 3-point range this season.
“We are definitely confident in our 3-point shooting. We do not feel like that is a weakness at all. When teams give them to us, we are confident that we are going to knock them down,” he said. “Like coach Cal said, it’s not the main thing that we do or what we look to win games off of, but if it’s there we’ll take it.”
