Jan 12, 2002
By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Kentucky’s stars struggled Saturday so it was Cliff Hawkins who kept the eighth-ranked Wildcats from a third straight loss to open the Southeastern Conference season.
While Tayshaun Prince and Keith Bogans combined for 16 points – 15 below their average – on 6-of-18 shooting, Hawkins’ drive across the lane with 3.4 seconds left gave Kentucky a 51-50 victory over South Carolina and kept the Wildcats from falling to 0-3 in the league for the first time in 26 seasons.
“When you see a lot of teams with great players shoot 3-of-11, Tayshaun and Keith get eight points each, it’s kind of difficult to win a basketball game,” said Prince, who was 3-of-11 from the field with five turnovers.
The Gamecocks (10-5, 0-2) rushed the ball up court after Hawkins’ shot, but Aaron Lucas’ floater at the buzzer was short.
Kentucky (10-4, 1-2) has won 11 straight over South Carolina.
Gerald Fitch led Kentucky with 11 points, while Hawkins scored eight, all in the second half.
It looked like Marius Petravicius would be South Carolina’s hero, making three of four foul shots with the game tied 47-all to put the Gamecocks ahead.
But after Hawkins hit a floater with 37 seconds left to cut the lead to 50-47, Petravicius was sent to the line for a 1-and-1 and missed to set up the final seconds.
Hawkins kept his dribble and when a baseline play was cut off by South Carolina and hit the game-winner.
“He made something happen by attacking the basket,” Bogans said.
Hawkins, surrounded by teammates as time ran out, didn’t think his shot was that spectacular.
“It’s one that I usually make in traffic,” Hawkins said. “I’m glad I hit it.”
Prince said Hawkins is maturing each game and Kentucky will improve with him.
“In previous games with the ball in his hands, Cliff made the decisions, he just didn’t always make the shots,” Prince said. “Now that it did happen, it will give him confidence.”
And that’s just what Kentucky needed after two heartbreaking losses to Mississippi State (74-69, OT) and Georgia (88-84).
“We have been struggling lately, especially with clutch plays down the stretch,” Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said.
Smith chose to focus on the positives in this one, although there were many Wildcat negatives.
Kentucky trailed all but the final 3.4 seconds of the game. The Wildcats were only 3-of-13 from 3-point range, had 20 turnovers – five more than their average – and scored more than 34 points below what they normally score.
South Carolina coach Dave Odom applauded his team’s effort and tried to find an explanation for defeat.
“Sometimes you go through an experience like today and you find yourself asking, ‘Why? Why?”‘ Odom said. “But what I told the team afterwards was that there had to be something better waiting for us down the road. My heart is broken in a thousand pieces for our team today.”
Jamel Bradley had 19 points to lead South Carolina.
If Kentucky hoped to right itself after two SEC losses, the first half against the Gamecocks didn’t help at all.
The Wildcats made 15 consecutive shots in winning 94-61 here a year ago, but had only nine field goals in the first 20 minutes and had several scoreless stretches. The longest was a 4:14 drought after they were ahead 14-9.
South Carolina, however, had its own shooting troubles – it was just 8-of-27 – and could not take advantage.
After Bogans’ 3-pointer put Kentucky ahead 19-16 with 3:57 left, the Gamecocks went on an 8-2 run to close the half.
Bradley hit three free throws, Rolando Howell had a jam and Chris Warren followed Bradley’s miss with 1.2 seconds to go for a 24-21 lead.
