Kentucky 79 - 49 Georgia (No. 2,081)

I feel somewhat guilty writing about UK basketball on a cold gray afternoon in Washington, when so many people in Kentucky are worried about much bigger problems. But I've been blogging about the Cats all year, and I'm not going to stop in the middle of a long winning streak.

According to college stats guru Ken Pomeroy, UK has the nation's second-most efficient offense (122.2 points per 100 possessions) and its eighth-most efficient defense (allowing only 86.7 points per 100 possessions). Also, the Cats are shooting 38.7 percent from three-point range, making them 25th in the nation in that category. (In SEC play they've been even better, making 41.3 percent of their three-point shots). With statistics like that, you're going to have games where you are hot and the other team is ice cold, and one of those games happened last night. Kentucky went 15-27 (55.6 percent) from behind the arc, at one point making six three-pointers in a row. Meanwhile, Georgia made only 33.9 percent of its shots, and only 15.8 percent (3-19) of its three-point shots.

Any game where Kentucky shoots like it did last night is very bad news for the other team, and the Wildcats looked awesome. Playing against a Georgia team that was coming off its best performance of the year (a 76-62 win over Florida), the Cats rolled out to a forty-one point lead (72-31) with 9:42 left, before taking its foot off the gas down the stretch. All year, teams have packed in their zone defense and forced the Cats to make jump shots. Last night, all of UK's practice against the zone. Everyone found their comfort spots on the floor, and then they shot the lights out. Miller went 5-9 from three-point range to lead all scorers with 17 points in his last game at Rupp Arena. Wiltjer -- who had barely played in the last two games -- nailed 3-4 three-pointers, and really looked like the devastating shooter we all want him to be. Lamb, who has quietly become the most accurate three-point shooter of all time at Kentucky, made his usual 3 of 6. But then the Cats got four more three-pointers from guys who rarely make them: Davis(!) hit his first three-pointer of the year, Kidd-Gilchrist hit his first since the Cats were in Knoxville, and even Teague made 2-4. Kidd-Gilchrist also nailed two very pretty two-point jump shots from the top of the key -- and if he starts making that shot, the sky's the limit for him.

Is UK really as good as they looked last night? Of course not. They were at home, they were focused, and they were hot. You can't count on that type of performance in the NCAA tournament. On the other hand, it's important to understand that all of those made shots were not flukes. Each one came out of a solid offensive play that left the shooter with the ball in a spot on the floor where he is comfortable. I noticed in the Mississippi State game that UK's confidence against the 2-3 zone has improved a great deal over the last few months -- the guys seem to feel like they know how to get the shots they want against the zone. If true, that is a helpful omen for the future.

Plus, the Cats still have Anthony Davis, and last night he had a putback jam of a missed shot that was one of the most amazing plays I've ever seen. Even ESPN was impressed.

Senior night is always poignant at UK, and last night -- when so many great players were appearing at Rupp Arena for what may be the last time -- was certainly no exception. I know that the toughest games all lie ahead -- starting with Sunday's trip to Gainesville -- and that this team will ultimately be judged on its performance in the NCAA Tournament. But it's important to understand that the Tournament is flukey -- anything can happen in one game, and at some point the Cats are likely to face a red-hot opponent of their own. I think it's important to recognize that whatever happens at the tournament, this is one of the nicest, most disciplined, most talented, and hardest-working teams we have ever had in Lexington, and we've had some great ones. I have been honored to root for them all season, and I really hope that they get the victories and trophies that their talent, teamwork, and effort deserve.