FORT MYERS, Florida – The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team hit a eight 3-pointers and then had to survive a more than 5-minute scoreless drought to the game to knock off No. 21 Florida Southwestern State 60-56 in the final game of the FSW Classic at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Saturday.
The Blue Dragons complete their holiday trip 2-0 and have won 11-straight holiday games dating back to 2001. Overall, Hutchinson has won nine consecutive games to improve to 11-2. Florida Southwestern State falls to 14-4 having its six-game winning streak snapped. The Buccaneers also lose on their home floor for the first time in eight games.
Freshman Sara Cramer knocked down four of Hutchinson's eight 3-pointers on Saturday. She scored eight of her game-high 16 points in a third period where the Blue Dragons extended a four-point halftime lead with a 24-14 third quarter. When Kelsey Brett hit a 3-pointer from the right corner at the third-quarter buzzer, Hutchinson carried a 52-38 lead into the final period.
The Dragons led by as many as 17 points in the early fourth quarter and led 60-44 after a Jada Mickens trey with 5:27 to go. Those were Hutchinson's last points as the Buccaneers scored the final 12 points of the game, pulling within 60-56 on their only 3-pointer of the game with 29 seconds to play.
Cramer, who now has 13 pointers in her last three games, was 4 of 9 shooting and had a season-high five rebounds with two assists and two steals before fouling out in the final 2 minutes of the game.
Brown finished with 14 points for Hutchinson with a 3-pointer, three rebounds and three assists. Mickens posted her third-straight double-double and sixth of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Dejanae Roebuck had nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Blue Dragons were 20 of 61 shooting (32.8 percent), going 8 of 26 from long range and 12 of 20 from the foul line. The Blue Dragons outrebounded their 13th-straight opponent with a 47-39 advantage. The Dragons had to overcome 16 turnovers.
Erna Normil had 16 points to lead Southwestern Florida State. LaToya Ashman had 10 points. The Buccaneers were 21 of 58 shooting (36.2 percent), going just 1 of 11 from 3-point range and 13 of 19 from the free-throw line. Southwestern Florida State had 15 turnovers.
Hutch trailed 14-11 after the first quarter, but outscored the Buccaneers 17-9 in the second stanza to lead 28-24 at halftime.
The Blue Dragons' lead dwindled to 30-28 with 8:14 to go in the third quarter after two Stephens free throws. Cramer then sparked a 15-6 Hutch run over the next 5 minutes, 45 seconds with a pair of 3-pointers and a 2-pointer. Her 3-pointer with 2:30 to go gave Hutch a 45-34 lead. Hutch then closed the third quarter on a 7-2 run with baskets from Brown, Brianna Bradshaw and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Brett to give the Dragons a 54-38 lead.
Hutch's lead went to a game-high 17 on Kayla Barber's 3-pointer at the 8:43 mark of the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers then scored six in a row before Brown scored on a drive to the hoop and Mickens buried a 3-pointer with 5:27 to play that gave the Blue Dragons a 60-46 lead. From that point, the Blue Dragons went 0 of 6 shooting with five turnovers. Southwestern closed within 60-56 on a Spencer 3-pointer with 29 seconds left, but the Dragons were able to run the clock out.
Hutchinson returns to conference play on Wednesday against Cowley at 5:30 p.m. in Arkansas City.