Hutchinson CC Sports Information
INDEPENDENCE – The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team had trouble stopping the 1-2 Independence punch of Maisa Marcal and Miriam Bazylewicz and dropped a Jayhawk Conference road game Wednesday at the ICC Fieldhouse.
The Independence duo combined for 41 points as the Pirates upended the No. 17 Blue Dragon 70-64.
The Blue Dragon fall to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the Jayhawk West. Hutchinson is now 0-2 on the road this season. Independence, which snapped a three-game losing streak to the Blue Dragons, improves to 5-1 and 4-1 in the Jayhawk East.
Hutchinson had another tough shooting start, hitting only 8 of 26 shots in the first two quarters (30.8 percent). Still the Blue Dragons trailed only 30-29 at halftime after Tor'e Alford hit a 3-pointer with 4 seconds remaining in the half.
The Dragons outscored Independence 22-19 in third quarter thanks to a big performance by freshman Ishante Suttington in the stanza. She hit a 3-pointer with 1:30 to play in the quarter to give Hutch a 51-46 lead. The Dragons led 51-49 after three quarters.
Freshman Yana Grassity hit a couple of huge 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter, to keep the Dragons in front, but Marcal and Bazylewicz took over, combining for 17 of Indy's 21 fourth-quarter points. With the game ties, Bazylewicz nailed her second 3-pointer of the period with 1:49 left to give the Pirates the lead for good at 67-64.
Hutch had three chances to tie the game in the final minute, but each shot spun around the rim and fell off. The Pirates outscored Hutchinson 21-13 in the fourth quarter.
Marcal hit 8 of 12 free throws and scored a game-high 21 points on 6 of 11 shooting, including a 3-pointer. Bazylewicz nailed four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points.
Grassity had season highs of 12 points, two 3-pointers and 3 of 4 from the foul line to lead the Blue Dragons. Grassity scored eight points in the fourth quarter.
Alford also finished with 12 points. Suttington scored 8 of her 11 points in the third quarter.
The Blue Dragons were 20 of 55 shooting, 36.4 percent, including 8 of 24 from 3-point range and 16 of 25 from the free-throw line. The Pirates were 22 of 56 overall shooting (39.3 percent). The Pirates were 6 of 20 from distance and 20 of 33 from the free-throw line.
Rebounds were even at 40-40. Offensive rebounds were even at 9-9 and turnovers were even at 20-20.
The Blue Dragons return to the Sports Arena to face the Allen Red Devils at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
GAME NOTES – This is Hutchinson's first loss at Independence since 1999. This is only the fourth game played at Independence in that span. … The Dragons are now 36-13 all-time against Independence. The Dragons had won 18 of 19 against the Pirates.