BLUE DRAGON MEN'S BASKETBALL |
No. 21 Hutchinson (23-7) vs. Pratt (15-16)
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When: Tuesday, March 1, 2022 |
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The No. 21-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team begins its quest for a 19th Region VI championship on Tuesday night at the Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragons' 2022 Region VI Quarterfinal opponent, the Pratt Beavers, handed the Blue Dragons a 12-point loss just eight days earlier.
Second-seeded Hutchinson (23-7) and 10th-seeded Pratt (15-16) will meet at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the quarterfinal round. The winner will face the Butler/Cowley winner at 7 p.m. Friday in the semifinals at the Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina.
The Blue Dragons finished second in the Jayhawk Conference this season and earned one of four first-round byes. Pratt had a huge lead on seventh-seed Barton in the opening round on Saturday and held on for an 84-82 victory in Great Bend.
Hutchinson hasn't played since last Wednesday, a 120-113 overtime victory at Garden City. Sophomore Jacquez Yow posted a double-double with a career-high 39 points and 11 rebounds. Yow hit a career-high three 3-pointers and scored nine points in overtime.
Just two days before the victory at Garden City, the Blue Dragons were stunned at Pratt 112-100, The Blue Dragons had an 89-84 lead with 5 minutes to play, but the Beavers outscored the Blue Dragons 28-11 down the stretch. Angelo Stuart had 23 points to lead the Blue Dragons. Cam Morris had 29 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Beavers.
The Blue Dragons and Beavers split the season series for the third-straight season. Hutchinson. Backed by 12 -pointers, the Blue Dragons out-gunned Pratt 106-99 on Nov. 23 in the Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragons will play in the Region VI Tournament for the 71st time in 73 tournaments on Tuesday. The Blue Dragons own an all-time Region VI record of 140-50.
Hutchinson will play its 56th quarterfinals. The Dragons are 55-11 in the quarterfinal round. Hutchinson is bidding for its first regional title since 2015.
The Blue Dragons own a 12-2 all-time Region VI Tournament advantage over Pratt. The teams' last postseason meeting came in 2019.
Pratt is in search of its first regional title since 2014. The Beavers upset Hutchinson in the 2014 Region VI semifinals.