NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ Tradition holds that the NCAA Tournament is about guard play and experience. Senior Dominique Hawkins fit both categories on Selection Sunday.
Long a fan favorite, Hawkins gave Kentucky Nation a memorable threat by seemingly cloning himself. He was everywhere in UK's 82-65 victory over Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference Tournament finals.
Hawkins scored a career-high 14 points.
But mere numbers did not serve justice to his all-over-the-court presence. When he went to the bench for a rest with 9:38 left, the many UK fans in a crowd announced as 19,953 rose and showered him with warm applause.
With the victory, Kentucky won its third straight SEC Tournament, bringing its official total of titles in this event to 30 (UK vacated the title in 1988).
The Cats will take a 29-5 record into the NCAA Tournament. De'Aaron Fox led UK with 18 points. Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo added 17 each.
Arkansas fell to 25-9. Daryl Macon led the Razorbacks with 18 points.
Although Monk, Fox and Isaiah Briscoe led Kentucky to this point, their backups keyed a 42-30 halftime lead.
Monk and Fox each played limited minutes in the first half because each was called for two fouls. Neither was on the court after Arkansas closed to within 23-22.
In not only preserving the lead, but expanding it to the 12-point halftime cushion, Hawkins was everywhere.
In a two-minute span that deserved permanent entry in the UK basketball storybook, he twice stole inbounds passes, twice scored baskets and once forced an offensive foul because of his pressure defense.
That sequence put Kentucky ahead 31-22 going into the final five minutes of the half.
It unfolded like this: After Adebayo scored inside, Hawkins alertly stole a lazy inbound pass and scored.
Next time downcourt, Arkansas scored. Hawkins then deflected the ensuing inbounds pass and saved it off an Arkansas player.
On the next Arkansas possession, Hawkins' defense led Anton Beard to push off.
The resulting UK possession led to two Adebayo free throws.
Hawkins returned for an encore in the final minute. His 3-pointer _ created when he jumped high to catch a Briscoe pass _ put the Cats ahead 39-30.
A 3-pointer by Mychal Mulder at the buzzer gave Kentucky its 12-point halftime lead.
Hawkins scored nine points in the first half. He'd scored that many in a game only twice this season: nine at Georgia and 10 at home against Tennessee.
The possibility of Arkansas rallying faded early in the second half.
Moses Kingsley, the preseason SEC Player of the Year, scored his first basket at the 18:01 mark.
Five seconds later, Monk was dunking at the other end to restore a 16-point Kentucky lead.
Arkansas, which trailed for more than 35 minutes and led for less than two, kept competing. The Razorbacks got within 73-64 with 1:30 left.
Hawkins, who indeed was everywhere this day, could not find a teammate to inbound the ball to, so he called timeout. One referee, Anthony Jordan, signaled a turnover on a five-second violation. Another referee, Doug Shows allowed the timeout.
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson grimaced and walked angrily onto the court. But the call stood. One last triumph for Hawkins.
Until 10 seconds later, when Dusty Hannahs floored Hawkins with two forearms to the upper body. Hawkins made both free throws to eclipse his previous career high of 13 points against Louisville last season.
More contentiousness came 18 seconds later. Kingsley bodied a driving Fox to the floor. The referees called a flagrant 2, which resulted in Kingsley's ejection.
