BLUE DRAGON MEN'S BASKETBALL |
Hutchinson (23-8) vs. No. 15 Cowley (25-5)
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Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team look to advance to the Region VI Tournament semifinals for the eighth-consecutive season on Sunday.
In order to do that, the eighth-seeded Blue Dragons are going to have to bump off top-seeded Cowley in a Region VI quarterfinal matchup. Game time is 1 p.m. at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City.
The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) at 12:50 p.m. with Glen Grunwald (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (color) calling the action. The game will also be streamed live on the Jayhawk Network at 12:55 p.m.
Hutchinson (23-8) advanced to Sunday's quarterfinal round after a convincing 92-64 opening-round victory over Allen on Wednesday at the Sports Arena. The Blue Dragons put together its second-straight stingy defensive performance. After holding Seward County to 47 points in the regular-season finale, Allen was limited to 35.9 percent shooting in the regional opener and just 29 points in the second half.
Tyler Brown led five Blue Dragons in double figures with 21 points. Josh Baker had 18.
Hutchinson will defend the nation's top scoring team for the second time this season.
Cowley has scored an almost-obscene number of points this season with a gaudy 110.7 points per game. The Tigers broke 100 points 24 times this season including 15 times scoring over 110 points, 10 times over 120 points, three times better than 130 points and a season-high 143 points against Cloud County on February 10.
One of the few times the Tigers didn't reach 100 points was January 11 in Arkansas City in an 84-83 win over the Blue Dragons. Shemarri Allen scored with 14.8 seconds to play and the Dragons couldn't get the final shot to fall.
The Blue Dragons shot 52.4 percent against Cowley on Jan. 11 and out-rebounded the Tigers 44-33. The Blue Dragons also held the second-highest scoring team in the NJCAA 26 points under its 110-point scoring average and limited Cowley to 44.4 percent (32 of 72). Hutchinson hit only 3 of 13 3-pointers and 14 of 24 from the foul line. Hutchinson also committed 26 turnovers.
Majok Kuath had 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Blue Dragons in the first game. Dalen Ridgnal posted a double-double with 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Tigers.
The Jayhawk East champion Tigers (25-5) enter play after an opening-round bye, but on a two-game losing streak with losses to Butler and Independence to close the regular season.
The Blue Dragons are in search of all-time postseason win No. 200 in Sunday's game. The Dragons are 199-79 in postseason games dating back to the 1928-29 season.