Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team saw its seven-game overall winning streak and a 26-game home-court win streak come to an end Wednesday night.
Already shorthanded with starting point guard Tor'e Alford not in the lineup, the Blue Dragons struggled offensively and dropped a 63-49 Jayhawk West decision to Barton at the Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragons fall to 10-3 overall and are now tied for first place in the Jayhawk West with Barton at 8-3. Seward County joins the log jam atop the league at 8-3 as well. Barton is 11-3 overall.
Without Alford, the Blue Dragons had a season-low offensive output and season-low field-goal percentage (31.1 percent). The Dragons were also stung by 14 turnovers.
Hutchinson led 10-4 with 3:04 remaining in the first quarter, but the offense went through an extended dry spell, going 3 minutes, 27 seconds without a point. Barton scored the final nine points of the first quarter to take a 13-10 lead after 10 minutes.
Barton's Queen Ulabo nailed a 3-pointer to start the second quarter for a five-point Cougar lead. Yana Grassity scored on a drive to the hoop to snap Barton's 12-point unanswered run, but from that point, the game slowly got away from Hutchinson.
Barton's Gabby Flute Player hit a 3-pointer with 5:25 remaining in the second quarter to give Barton a 27-16 lead. Barton outscored Hutchinson 24-14 in the second quarter. The Dragons shot 31.1 percent in the first half and trailed 37-24 at halftime.
The Dragons never got the game back to single figures in the second half.
Freshman K.K. Adams led the Blue Dragons with 13 points and five rebounds. Adams was 5 of 13 from the field and 2 of 5 from 3-point range.
Ishante Suttington was next with nine points and 10 rebounds. Kate Ogle had seven points and nine rebounds.
The Blue Dragons were 19 of 61 shooting, hitting 5 of 23 from 3-point range.
A big Barton advantage came at the free-throw line. The Cougars were 15 of 17 from the foul line, while the Dragons got there 11 times, making only six.
Barton's top three scorers for the season all reached double figures on Wednesday. Queen Ulabo had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Cougars. Vanessa Oduah finished with 16 points, scoring 12 in the first half. Tiffany Dortland had a pair of 3-pointers and finished with 14 points.
Barton shot 21 of 56 (37.5 percent), making 6 of 15 from 3-point range.
The Blue Dragons will travel to Colby on Saturday for a 2 p.m. conference contest with the Trojans.