BLUE DRAGON MEN'S BASKETBALL |
No. 9 Hutchinson (15-3, 6-3) vs. Pratt (8-10, 1-8)When: Saturday, January 19, 2019 |
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team has been resilient after losses this season.
After dropping games to Coffeyville in November and Cloud County in December, the Blue Dragons have on their next game by an average of 24 points.
The No. 9-ranked Blue Dragons look to rebound from Wednesday's one-point home loss to Garden City on Saturday night against the Pratt Beavers.
Game time is at 7:30 p.m. at the Sports Arena. The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) with Glen Grunwald (play-by-play) and Rusty Hilst (analysis) beginning at 7:20 p.m. The game will be videostreamed on the Blue Dragon Sports Network beginning at 7:20 p.m.
The Blue Dragons were upset 70-69 by Garden City on Wednesday. Despite shooting only 40 percent and getting out-rebounded by 10, the Dragons had their chances to win the game. The Busters hit two free throws with 12.2 seconds to play to take the lead and the Dragons weren't able to convert on the last possession. The Dragons missed eight free throws in the second half.
Leading scorer James Rojas, the sixth-leading scorer in the Jayhawk Conference, missed his third-straight game because of an injury. There is no timetable for his return.
D.J. Mitchell is the leading active scorer at 14.6 points per game. Rheaquone Taylor is averaging 11.0, Chris Giles is at 10.8 points and Malique Jacobs is at 10.5 points per game.
The Blue Dragons are the second in the Jayhawk Conference in scoring offense at 90.2 points per game and is third in field-goal percentage at 48.1 percent.
Pratt brings in the Jayhawk Conference's second-leading scorer in the Jayhawk Conference in sophomore guard Blake Furcron, who is averaging 20.3 points per game. Furcron is averaging 53.8 percent from the field, 43.1 percent from 3-point range and 78.2 percent from the free-throw line. Furcron is also averaging 6.2 rebounds and right at two assists per contest.
The Beavers are averaging 87.2 points per game while shooting 45.2 percent overall and 35.7 percent from the 3-point line. Defensively, the Beavers are allowing 76.4 points, 43.5 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from 3-point range.
Saturday's meeting is the first of two games between Hutchinson and Pratt and the 168th overall. The 143 wins over Pratt are the most by the Blue Dragons over any opponent in team history.