Men’s basketball head coach John Calipari answered questions on Monday morning’s Southeastern Conference Coaches Teleconference as his team gets ready for the SEC Tournament later this week.

Question: Can you talk about the play of Darius Miller and do you see that becoming more consistent and more what you’re wanting at this time of the year?Calipari: I like the fact that he’s trying to guard, he’s trying to rebound. How about he gets an offensive rebound and dunks it? Then the question is, if you can do that, why haven’t you been doing it? What we’re trying to get out of him he has in there. He’s playing more aggressive, he’s defending better – I’m happy. I think having to sit him on the bench and make him earn his way back probably helped him.

Question: Is your MVP John Wall or DeMarcus Cousins?Calipari: I think we have a bunch of them. There was a time when it was Patrick (Patterson). There was a time when Eric (Bledsoe) was the guy. There were times when it was Darius or John or DeMarcus. I think we have a lot of good guys. When you’re a really good team, everybody has somebody different that they think is your star. That’s when you have a really good team.

I come back to Patrick Patterson. Patrick had to make a choice of whether to come back or not. I never tried to talk him into coming back. I know he had people in his ears trying to talk him into leaving. Some of it was they just didn’t want Kentucky to be good. Others just thought he should leave. Well, he chose to come back. Now he could have came back and said this is my team, I take all the shots, I do all this. He didn’t. He came back and played a different position. Instead of playing under the basket he played out on the floor. He improved himself in all areas. Our team goes 29-2 because of his attitude, because of his approach. Now all of a sudden he’s improved himself, and the image and perception people have of him as a player. That’s how this is supposed to work.

There are flashy guys. John has done has his thing. I could tell you he would deserve it. There are games or parts of the season where DeMarcus was absolutely dominating and he deserved it. We’re not really worried about that. We’re worried about us continuing to move on.

Question: John has shown he can come through in pressure situations. Is there anything about the postseason atmosphere that makes you wonder if he can continue that?Calipari: Usually history is a pretty good indicator. His history is he’s making plays and he’s not afraid to. The crazy thing is one of you guys said he said something about when it’s on the line I’m going to make the plays. He came out the very next game and does it again. That bodes well for us. But you also need Eric Bledsoe making free throws like he did. You need Patrick Patterson making tough shots like he did. You need DeMarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton coming up with big blocks and big rebounds down the stretch. You need a big 3 by Darius or Darnell (Dodson). You need an energy – a 50-50 ball that’s absolutely grabbed by DeAndre Liggins. That’s what we are.

Question: How many SEC teams do you like to make the NCAA Tournament?Calipari: I think we’re going to have five. Mississippi State and Florida have got to win a couple of games or at least win one. They win one I think they’re both in. They win two and I think all of a sudden it’s easier for them. I think we get five in. The great news is I think we’re going to have teams advance. I’m just hoping we’re one of them that advances, but think we’ll have teams advance. I think this league is a good league. On the road it’s ridiculous to try to win games. It’s hard to win at home. It’s hard to win in this league.

Question: How come the top four teams in the East went 24-0 against the West?Calipari: Because our side of the league is a little bit better this year. There have been other times you look over the SEC the West was better. You have that. But that’s why I’m saying Florida should be in. Mississippi State, we played against them. I know how good they are. They win a couple in our tournament, they’ll be fine, or win one and they’re in. Let me tell you who is a good team: Georgia. Let me tell you who else is a good team: South Carolina, who beat us. They’re good teams, and we were all on the same side beating the crap out of each other. That’s why Florida should be a shoo-in. Mississippi State, go get it done. That loss at home hurt them a little bit but I like their team. I like their ability to shoot balls. If Mississippi State gets in, which they should, they’ll win a couple of games and maybe more. But I bet everybody will be stunned because they block shots, they’re a great defensive teams and they can really shoot the ball. In the NCAA Tournament, that’s what gets you over.