Kentucky Proving They’re Team to Beat?
And that’s the thing about these Wildcats — they have a bunch of really talented guys who love to do a bunch of really important things. (Michael) Kidd-Gilchrist loves to lock up the other team’s best player. Anthony Davis loves to block shots and generally freak people out. Darius Miller loves to come off the bench and make big shots when big shots are needed, and if he doesn’t love it then he has, at the very least, embraced it, which is the point I’m really trying to make.
When I watch Kentucky, what I see is a lot of future NBA draft picks completely focused on the task at hand. The Wildcats don’t seem worried with who starts or who scores or who wins what honors, which is a unique quality for a roster like this.
They seem confident but not cocky.
They have swagger but not to a fault.
They don’t get rattled and they don’t look young.
And they don’t lose road games even great teams ought to lose.
Again, this looked and felt like one of those games. Kentucky was down 13 early and for most of the second half, and you would’ve been wise to lay money on the Bulldogs when (Dee) Bost hit a 3-pointer over Davis’ outstretched (and really long) arm to give Mississippi State a 60-53 lead with 6:28 remaining.
But you would’ve also been wrong. So take the field in the Field of 68 if you want, because I know that’s the right play statistically. But me? I’m taking Kentucky. And I won’t believe the Wildcats will lose again until I see them lose again.
