June 28, 2002

LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky junior Cliff Hawkins will be ineligible for the 2002 fall semester. Men’s basketball coach Tubby Smith confirmed the news on Thursday which means the 6-1 starting point guard will miss the Maui Invitational and as many as four additional regular-season games. He will still be able to practice with the squad during the fall and should he make satisfactory progress, will be eligible in mid-December. The 2002-03 schedule will not be announced until late July.

Hawkins’ contributions will be missed. The Dumfries, Va., native started 29 of the 32 games last season including the last 26. He averaged 4.3 assists per game, which ranked fourth in the Southeastern Conference and marked the best assist average by a Wildcat since Wayne Turner in 1998. He averaged 7.1 points and 2.6 rebounds per game and his season highlight was his jumper in the lane with three seconds left that beat host South Carolina, 51-50.

With JP Blevins now graduated and the departure of Adam Chiles, Smith will have to count on junior Gerald Fitch, who played some at point last season, junior transfer Antwain Barbour, who saw action at point at Wabash Junior College and incoming freshman Brandon Stockton to carry most of the point guard duties.