Michael Kidd-Gilchrist plays defense on LSU's Anthony Hickey. (Victoria Graff photo)

By LARRY VAUGHT

Sophomore Terrence Jones had 27 points, nine rebounds and three blocks at LSU, but Kentucky coach John Calipari said Kidd-Gilchrist probably was still the best player on the floor even though he had just one point. Kidd-Gilchrist did play lockdown defense on LSU point guard Anthony Hickey and grab eight rebounds, get four assists and make two steals.

Kidd-Gilchrist also creates havoc for opponents and opportunities for Kentucky while displaying little emotion and without agitating opponents.

“I think it’s all he knows. He’s just doing what he does naturally,” Calipari said. “He’s just playing. I was a little worried when he ran down to protect Anthony (Davis after he was knocked down on a flagrant foul at LSU) because I didn’t want to see anything,” Calipari said. “Again, I’m preaching that we’re not fouling. We’re playing not to foul. We want six fouls at half. We don’t want it to be a roughhouse, win in the weight room kind of game.  That’s not how we play.

“If I’m preaching that, then you have to stay in control. When that other stuff happens and they make the call, there’s no reason for anything else to happen. They made the call. Back up and go. The reality is that’s just what he knows. He doesn’t know anything different.”

Jones says it’s hard to estimate just how valuable Kidd-Gilchrist is as shown by his ability to impact the LSU game despite scoring only one point.

“That is what you need on your team to win is guys that can still have an impact even when they don’t have scoring games. His game could be like that all the time with guys being hot. But as long as we’re making progress for us to win, it’s still good with him,” Jones said. “He’s real long. He is active at his position. I don’t think guys at his position are usually as active as him. It is just something he always has an advantage over.”

Calipari brought Kidd-Gilchrist off the bench to start the season, a move that did not bother the freshmen. However, Calipari soon preferred having him on the court to start games rather than coming off the bench to provide a spark.

“We can’t just start the game and let them do what they want. I can put him on anybody I want to put him on. I can put him on a one, a two, a three or a four if that guy is hurting us, and that’s why he is so vital,” Calipari said of Kidd-Gilchrist. “You can’t say, ‘I am going to have my best player come off the bench.’ The guy that is doing the things that he is doing, he has to be on that court.

“Now, what makes me mad about him is that he fouls, like 30 feet from the basket, and he gets a body foul. Then he gets two fouls, and I am trying to tell him he doesn’t need to block any shots, just body guys up and let them block it. He is doing fine, and the other guys are doing fine.”