Hutchinson CC Sports Information
GOODLAND – The top-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team had another second-quarter explosion Wednesday night to earn its 26th-consecutive victory to start the season.
The Blue Dragons broke open their Jayhawk Conference road battle at Northwest Tech open on Wednesday with a 31-point second quarter and Hutchinson hit a season-high 14 3-pointers in a 91-52 victory over the Mavericks at Max Jones Fieldhouse.
The 2023-24 Blue Dragons tied the 1976-77 Blue Dragons for the third-best start to a season at 26-0 and maintained their 3.5-game lead in the Jayhawk Conference with a 20-0 league record, the third time in program history Hutchinson reached 20 conference wins in a season. The Blue Dragons travel to Seward County at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Liberal.
Leading 25-12 after one quarter, freshman Kahlen Norris led Hutchinson's second-quarter onslaught with 12 of her career-high 13 points in that second stanza. She hit all four of her single-game career-best 3-pointers in the second quarter. Her first 3-pointer started off the second quarter. Her second upped the Dragon lead to 33-15 with 6:32 to play in the period.
Leading 38-19, the Blue Dragons closed the first half on an 18-0 run, holding the Mavericks scoreless for the final 4 minutes, 20 seconds of the quarter to complete a 31-7 second quarter for a 56-19 halftime lead.
The Blue Dragons shot 63.2 percent (12 of 19) in the second quarter, holding Tech to 2 of 16 shooting in the period.
All 11 Blue Dragons on the roster scored on Wednesday night as Hutchinson defeated Northwest Tech for the 12th-consecutive time.
Kiki Smith led the Blue Dragon with 15 points and five rebounds. Smith hit 3 of 6 from 3-point range.
Norris and Monae Duffy had 13 points each. Duffy had a 3-pointer and was 5 of 9 shooting overall. Akaysha Muggeridge hit a pair of 3-pointers and finished with 12 points.
Hailey Jackson finished with nine points, as did Peyton Mosley.
The Blue Dragons hit a season-high 14 3-pointers in 37 attempts. That tied for the fourth-most 3-pointers in Blue Dragon single-game history. The Dragons shot 44.7 percent overall (34 of 76) and was 9 of 17 overall. The Dragons had seven turnovers
Hutchinson out-rebounded Northwest Tech 51-47 led by Madi Denison's career-high 15 rebounds. Denison is the first Blue Dragon with at least 15 rebounds in a game since Duffy had 15 rebounds against Pratt on December 2.
The Dragons had a season-high 29 assists on 34 made baskets against the Mavericks. Journey Armstead had eight assists and Muggeridge had six assists. Ten Blue Dragon players had assists.
The Blue Dragons held Northwest Tech to 21.2 percent shooting (14 of 66), which is the second-lowest shooting percentage by an opponent this season. The Mavericks were 6 of 30 from 3-point range and 18 of 23 from the foul line. The Mavericks had 16 turnovers.
Tyjhanae Penny had 20 points with four 3-pointers to lead the Mavericks.
GAME NOTES – This was the fourth time this season and eighth time in her career that Journey Armstead had at least eight assists in a game. … Akaysha Muggeridge had her fifth game of five or more assists. … The Blue Dragons are 13-1 all-time against Northwest Tech. … This was the seventh game this season that Hutchinson had less than 10 turnovers. … This was Hutchinson's 10th game with 50 or more rebounds. … Hutchinson's 31-point second quarter was the sixth 30-point quarter this season for the Blue Dragons.