Hutchinson CC Sports Information
ARKANSAS CITY – The No. 24-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team shot a season-high 51.7 percent and picked up its first road victory of the season Wednesday night.
The Blue Dragons led wire to wire in an 84-61 Jayhawk Conference road victory over the Cowley Tigers at Scott Auditorium.
The Blue Dragons improve to 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the Jayhawk West and are now 1-2 in road games this season. Cowley had its three-game winning streak snapped and fell to 5-4 overall and 3-4 in the Jayhawk East.
Sophomore Tor'e Alford hit two quick 3-pointers to give the Blue Dragons an early 6-0 lead. The Dragons lead 19-18 after one quarter, surviving a 3 1/2-minute scoreless spell and didn't relinquish the lead. Hutchinson still had a one-point lead (23-22) two minutes into the second quarter.
The game, from that point, belonged to the Blue Dragons.
Kalyn Ervin's transition layup after a Cowley turnover sparked what became a 12-4 Hutchinson run to close the second quarter. Hutchinson's KJCCC No. 2-ranked defense held Cowley to 2 of 19 shooting in the second period as Hutchinson outscored the Tigers 15-8 in the second stanza to lead 34-26 at halftime.
The Blue Dragons put a stranglehold on Cowley outscoring the Tigers 29-10 in the third period. The Blue Dragons were 10 of 12 shooting in the third quarter and the Tigers were a frigid 2 of 17 from the floor as Hutchinson led 63-36 after three quarters.
K.K. Adams came off the bench to score a team-high 17 points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers to lead the Blue Dragons. Adams added four assists and led four Blue Dragons in double figures.
Freshman Ishante Suttington tied a season high with 16 points, including 3 of 7 from 3-point range. She also tied a season high with seven rebounds. Alford was 5 of 5 shooting, including two 3-pointers to finish with 13 points, five rebounds and three assists. Freshman Yana Grassity had 11 points and six assists.
The Blue Dragons shot 30 of 58 from the field overall, going 10 of 17 from 3-point range and 14 of 23 from the free-throw line. Hutchinson out-rebounded Cowley 48-42 – Nafatoumata Haidara had a season-high 10 boards – and the Blue Dragons overcame a season-high-tying 22 turnovers.
Martyna Kowalska had a game-high 18 points, scoring 12 in the fourth quarter to lead Cowley. She became the first Blue Dragon opponent with a double-double, garnering 11 rebounds. Baylee Fincher added 16 for the Tigers. Cowley's leading scorer, Seanna Boltz, was limited to two points on 1 of 10 shooting.
Cowley shot a season-low 28.2 percent (20 of 71), going 5 of 27 from 3-point range and 16 of 25 from the free-throw line. The Tigers had 14 turnovers.
The Blue Dragons are off Saturday and will play host to Dodge City in the opening of Jayhawk West play at 5:30 p.m. on Monday at the Sports Arena.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 27-23 all-time against Cowley, winning 13 of the last 14 meeting. Hutchinson is 7-11 in Arkansas City. … Hutchinson head coach John Ontjes is now tied with Cowley coach Todd Clark for fourth on the KJCCC coaching wins list with 381. … Ontjes used his sixth different starting line-up in eight games.