Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The No. 9-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team goes in search of a berth in the 2020 Region VI Tournament championship game on Monday with a semifinal showdown with the Barton Cougars.

Second-seeded Hutchinson (28-3) and sixth-seeded Barton (17-15) will be the first semifinal matchup at 1 p.m. at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City. That winner faces the winner of semifinal No. 2 between top-seed Butler and fourth-seed Seward County. The championship game is set for 5 p.m. Tuesday in Dodge City.

Monday's game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) only beginning at 12:50 p.m. with Steve Carpenter (play by play) and Daren Dunn (color) calling the action. The game will also be streamed on the KJCCC Network beginning at 12:55 p.m.

The Blue Dragons go in search of their 10th regional tournament championship berth on Monday.

Hutchinson advanced with a 69-48 victory over Cowley in the quarterfinals on Saturday. The Blue Dragons held Cowley 25 points under its season scoring average to 28.6 percent shooting. HutchCC received a huge double-double effort from center Brooklyn Betham, who had 21 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Abby Ogle had 10 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals.

The Cougars have played two games in the tournament thus far, defeating Cloud County 65-52 in the opening round at Great Bend on Wednesday and ousting third-seed Coffeyville 78-61 on Saturday. The Cougars were paced by Queen Olabo, who posted her third-straight double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Vanessa Oduah also had a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards.

Monday's semifinal matchup will be the third between Hutchinson and Barton this season. The Blue Dragons have decisively won the two regular-season matchups.

Hutchinson defeated Barton 67-43 on January 29 at the Sports Arena. The Blue Dragons' No. 4-nationally ranked defense locked down on the Cougars, holding them to 23.3 percent shooting with 17 turnovers. Tor'e Alford blistered the Cougars in the rematch on February 19, an 86-67 win at Great Bend. Alford scored a career-high 24 points, hitting 7 the Dragons' 13 3-pointers in that game.

The Blue Dragons haven't reached the Region VI Tournament finals since last winning the tournament in 2017. Monday will be the Blue Dragons' 18th overall appearance in the Region VI semifinals. The Blue Dragons are 9-8 in this round.

The Region VI Tournament finals are set for 5 p.m. Tuesday in Dodge City.