Kentucky Basketball: Soft Start to SEC Schedule Will Save Terrence Jones' Season

Entering the 2011-12 season, Terrence Jones looked like a favorite to earn All-America honors for Kentucky. After the last three weeks, he’s lucky to still have a starting job.

Jones was a no-show (four points, one rebound, six turnovers) in Kentucky’s loss to Indiana, and he hasn’t scored more than 10 points in a game since. He’s also missed two games in that span with a finger injury suffered against Chattanooga and hasn’t exactly dominated since returning.

Luckily for Jones, the schedule provides what should be just the tonic he needs. Kentucky, now ranked No. 2, opens conference play with three easy matchups: home to South Carolina, and at Auburn and Tennessee.

Jones has shown flashes of his old form since returning from the injury—although he scored just two points against Louisville, he pulled down 11 boards. Three straight games against overmatched frontcourts will give him a chance to get his shooting stroke back.

That’s good news for Kentucky, which will need Jones to be an offensive force again when March Madness rolls around. After scoring 15.7 points per game last year, his average has dropped to 11.2 despite the absence of high-scoring Brandon Knight.

Even if Jones is relegated to the role of designated rebounder, Kentucky will be a heavy favorite for a No. 1 seed (though it won’t do Jones’ draft stock any favors). Anthony Davis will dominate most SEC opponents on length alone, even if he’s not nearly the scorer that Jones is when he’s on his game.

However, if Jones goes back to being the all-around contributor he was in beating North Carolina (14 points, seven boards, three blocks), he has a great chance to help Kentucky win a national title.