By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

NEW ORLEANS - The last line on the postgame schedule read, "Winning team cuts nets." After the trophy presentation, the basket areas had been roped off and ladders erected.

Yet the Wildcats walked on by.

Kentucky's Keith Bogans (10) and Marquis Estill (50) hold the 2003 SEC Championship trophy after Kentucky defeated Mississippi State, 64-57, in the championship of the SEC Conference tournament in the Superdome, Sunday. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

"We're here at Kentucky," sophomore forward Chuck Hayes said Sunday, after UK beat Mississippi State 64-57 for the Southeastern Conference Tournament title. "This is good - we enjoy it - but we want the last set of nets that are hanging."

Those hanging from the same Louisiana Superdome baskets, as the Final Four will be played here April 5-7.

"Our main focus is on the big tournament," junior guard Gerald Fitch said of the NCAAs.

UK regularly skipped the SEC's net-cutting ceremony during the 1990s. The school has won this event 24 times - more than the rest of the league combined - and is 29-3 with nine titles in this tourney the past 12 years.

Yet there was certainly something special to acknowledge Sunday. In running their winning streak to 23 games, UK (29-3) became the first SEC team since the 1952 Wildcats to go undefeated during the regular season and win the conference tournament.

"I don't think it's hit everybody yet that we went undefeated," Fitch said.

Said coach Tubby Smith: "I wouldn't have thought we could do it."

Parties from both teams said Sunday's game had an NCAA tourney feel: big crowd, strong defensive teams, a physical contest.

Mississippi State (21-9) held a one-point halftime lead - the first time in the last 17 games UK trailed at the half - and was shooting for the lead in the final two minutes. But it was the Wildcats who willed the big plays.

With UK up 56-55, Bulldogs center Mario Austin missed two free throws with 1:51 left, and UK's Marquis Estill drove for a left-handed layup that extended the lead. MSU's Derrick Zimmerman had a layup roll off the rim, and Hayes made two free throws.

UK's Cliff Hawkins and Keith Bogans made two free throws apiece, and MSU went 1-of-8 in the final two minutes. UK was uneven on offense, shooting 50 percent but totaling 19 turnovers. The difference, as usual, was defense - it held MSU to 36.1 percent, shutting down Bulldog stars Austin (3-of-14) and Zimmerman (3-of-13).

"That's a good sign: We don't have to play a great game to win," Hawkins said. "We know our defense can get it done."

Bogans, completing his comeback from a poor junior season, totaled 22 points and seven rebounds Sunday and earned tournament MVP honors.

"This means a lot to me," Bogans said. "I worked hard in the offseason and told Coach I would do anything to win. The way we finished it out here was really special."

ALL-TOURNEY TEAM: Bogans was joined on the all-tournament team by Estill, Zimmerman, Timmy Bowers (MSU) and Ronald Dupree (Louisiana State).

3-MAN: Bogans now has 717 3-point attempts for his career, breaking Tony Delk's mark of 711.

Miss. State	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Harper	23	4	5	2	2	3	0	5	5	10
Ignerski	31	1	4	0	1	6	0	2	0	3
Austin	37	3	14	2	4	6	1	2	1	9
Bowers	37	6	12	0	0	3	2	2	0	13
Zimmerman	37	3	13	5	7	4	5	3	7	11
Campbell	3	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Frazier	16	3	9	0	0	1	1	3	1	7
Vincent	16	2	3	0	0	5	0	2	0	4
Totals	200	22	61	9	14	29	9	19	14	57

Team rebounds: 4.

Kentucky	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Daniels	27	2	4	1	2	1	0	3	2	5
Hayes	37	4	8	5	6	9	0	3	4	13
Estill	33	6	9	1	1	9	1	3	6	13
Fitch	33	1	4	0	0	3	3	2	1	3
Bogans	31	6	13	7	10	7	2	4	2	22
Hawkins	25	1	3	2	4	2	6	1	4	4
Barbour	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Camara	12	2	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	4
Totals	200	22	44	16	23	31	13	16	19	64

Team rebounds: 3.

Mississippi State	31	26	-57
Kentucky	30	34	-64

Attendance-22,054. 3-point goals-Mississippi State 4-13 (Ignerski 1-2, Austin 1-1, Bowers 1-3, Zimmerman 0-2, Frazier 1-5); Kentucky 4-14 (Hayes 0-1, Fitch 1-3, Bogans 3-8, Hawkins 0-2). Technical fouls-none.