By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COLUMBUS - It wasn't on the scale of Keith Bogans' ankle injury last season, which caused Kentucky to unravel against Marquette.

But Cliff Hawkins' back certainly may have kept UK from getting back to the Sweet 16.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos from UK game

The senior point guard had been elbowed in the back in the first-round victory Thursday over Florida A&M and was ailing Sunday. He and team trainers didn't discuss the nature of the injury, yet Hawkins was wincing and grabbing his back often during the loss to Alabama-Birmingham.

Hawkins played just 26 minutes, scoring nine points on 3-of-10 shooting, and totaled four turnovers with just two assists.

"He was really stiff and he showed a lot of courage, a lot of heart, to play the way he did," UK coach Tubby Smith said. "You could tell he's a gutsy player and Cliff is as tough as there is."

Hawkins had trouble getting going Sunday.

"The first half, we were very lethargic," Smith said. "Cliff ... didn't have the same energy level that he normally has to start the game."

Hawkins, who normally can dictate the tempo of a game, was more of a bit player Sunday. Even when he was on the court, he deferred at certain times to Gerald Fitch and even forward Chuck Hayes to bring the ball upcourt.

Meanwhile, the ballhawking Blazers got Hawkins off his game.

"They did a great job of pressuring the ball, denying the inbounds pass," Hawkins said. "I had two guys on me trying to get open on the inbounds pass and they were really wearing me out."

Hawkins did summon his best in the final four minutes. He took a charge, fed Hayes for a dunk, and sank a 17-foot jumper.

On the final possession, trailing by a point, Hawkins penetrated and kicked the ball out to Fitch for the potential game-winning shot. Yet he was down on himself for his pass.

"I took him out of his shot," Hawkins said. "I made him reach for it and messed up his rhythm just a bit."

UK's late-season run seemed to coincide with Smith's decision to place more decision-making responsibilities in Hawkins' hands.

Yet Hawkins had a tough weekend here. He had six assists and nine turnovers between the two games, and he refused to shake hands Friday with FAMU's players after he said they had "verbally disrespected" him.

As for his health Sunday, Hawkins said, "Players play with pain. With a game like that, I feel that's part of my responsibility. I'm a veteran on this team; I've got to block out the pain. It wasn't too the point it messed up what I was doing."

Hawkins finished his UK career with 839 points and No. 7 on the career assists list (467). He was third in career steals with 198.

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E-mail nschmidt@enquirer.com