By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Michigan State's Aloysius Anagonye slams a monster dunk during the second half. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

LEXINGTON - Kentucky doesn't play again until Saturday, but in the meantime it will face some of its most critical tests.

Cliff Hawkins' exams.

Hawkins, a junior point guard who has been academically ineligible during fall semester, is expected back for UK's game against Indiana, assuming he doesn't trip up during finals week. After the way the Wildcats bogged down in the clutch Saturday in their 71-67 home loss to Michigan State, Hawkins' status could prove a potential turning point in the season.

"He's going to be a big factor for us," UK senior forward Jules Camara said of Hawkins. "Maybe he could have made the difference today."

To be fair, the No. 12 Wildcats (5-2) have fared well offensively, shooting 51 percent this season. The last time UK shot that well was in 1985-86 (51.4 percent).

Yet things bogged down in the second half Saturday, when UK had just two assists and shot 38 percent, including 1-of-7 on 3-pointers. Wildcats coach Tubby Smith as much as said he has been playing Gerald Fitch out of position, and he even tried scoring leader Keith Bogans at the point briefly Saturday.

"When Cliff gets back, we'll be a much more settled team in the half-court," Bogans said.

It still took a strong shooting night by the 21st-ranked Spartans (5-2) and an unlikely, last-minute 3-pointer by reserve guard Tim Bograkos to snap UK's four-game winning streak. MSU hit 48 percent on the day, including 53 percent (8-of-15) on 3-pointers, and got a career-high 13 points from freshman reserve center Paul Davis.

Trailing 67-66 with the shot clock waning, the Spartans found Bograkos open, and the sophomore made good on his first 3-point attempt of the season - just the third such try of his career.

"I could lie and tell you I set that up, but to be honest he was the sixth option out of five guys," MSU coach Tom Izzo said. "I was going to say, 'Are you kidding me' (when he shot), but then he hit it."

That shot fell with 49 seconds left. UK then ran Bogans off a screen, but his 3-point try with 21 seconds left bounced off the rim. The Spartans sealed it with two Chris Hill free throws.

The Wildcats lamented their defense on Bograkos' winning shot, as they went to a matchup zone and he slipped behind Bogans. Yet Smith lingered longer on his team's offensive output.

"I thought we played a little soft," he said. "We didn't get consistent play out of three of our starters."

Those were Chuck Hayes (0-for-3, two points), Fitch (1-for-6, three points) and Camara (4-for-11, eight points).

Smith suggested the 6-foot-11, 211-pound Camara was sheepish in the post, avoiding contact with MSU's beefy bodies. And he sounded ready to move Fitch back to an off-guard spot.

"Gerald's not really a penetrator," Smith said. "He never really could turn the corner, and when he tried to penetrate, he got his shot blocked. We just need to get him back to doing what he does best."

Passing is the key, as UK's guards had trouble feeding the post Saturday. Its assist leaders were forwards Hayes (five assists) and Erik Daniels (three).

"Cliff could have helped us a lot," said Daniels, who totaled 12 points and six rebounds. "He's able to break (a defense) down as well as anyone in the country."

UK also was undone in part by 10-of-18 free throw shooting (55.6 percent).

Bogans scored a season-high 23 points, his fourth consecutive 20-point game. But he was the only one able to create his own shot.

"Today, it just came down to execution," Hayes said. "And our offense wasn't running real smooth."

Mich. St.	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Anderson	36	3	8	4	4	4	5	2	3	10
Anagonye	19	2	3	1	2	5	0	3	2	5
Ballinger	22	3	8	0	0	3	0	4	1	6
Hill	35	5	10	2	2	2	4	2	1	16
Torbert	8	1	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	3
Ager	14	2	6	0	0	2	1	3	1	5
Bograkos	27	2	2	0	0	2	0	1	2	5
Davis	21	4	7	4	4	5	0	1	0	13
Lorbek	15	4	7	0	1	3	0	2	2	8
Andreas	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Totals	200	26	54	11	13	30	10	18	14	71

Team rebounds - 2.

Kentucky	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Hayes	23	0	3	2	2	3	5	3	2	2
Camara	32	4	11	0	0	7	0	3	2	8
Estill	26	6	9	0	1	7	2	4	0	12
Fitch	33	1	6	0	2	3	2	1	1	3
Bogans	37	7	15	6	9	2	2	1	4	23
Stockton	8	0	0	2	2	2	1	0	1	2
Cote	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	0
Daniels	25	6	9	0	2	6	3	3	1	12
Azubuike	16	2	3	0	0	0	0	1	1	5
Totals	200	26	56	10	18	34	15	17	14	67

Team rebounds - 3.

Kentucky	40	27	-67
Michigan St.	40	31	-71

3-pointers - MSU 8-15 (Anderson 0-1, Ballinger 0-1, Hill 4-6, Torbert 1-1, Ager 1-4, Bograkos 1-1, Davis 1-1), UK 5-14 (Fitch 1-3, Bogans 3-8, Daniels 0-1, Azubuike 1-2). Officials - Jim Burr, Mike Kitts, Tom Eades. Attendance - 23,145.