FIRST-HALF SURGE HELPS DRAGONS GROUND FALCONS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

GREAT BEND – The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team rebounded from its first loss of the season by shooting 55 percent in the first half of its Barton Classic opener against Harry S. Truman College on Friday at the Barton Gym.

The No. 15-ranked Blue Dragons opened a 23-point halftime lead and cruised to a 98-59 victory over the Falcons.

The Blue Dragons improved to 4-1 overall. Hutchinson will play NOC-Enid at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the Barton Classic.

BLUE DRAGON MEN'S BASKETBALL
No. 15 Hutchinson (4-1) vs. NOC-Enid (4-1)
Barton Classic
When: Saturday, November 15, 2024
Where: Barton Gym, Great Bend, KS
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5), 2:45 p.m. – Daren Dunn (PBP); Dan Naccarato (Analysis)
Video: Cougar Sports Network, 2:45 p.m.
X: @bluedragonsport

Led by Mikhail Abdul-Hamid's four 3-pointers and 14 points in the first half, the Blue Dragons hit 9 of 20 shots from long distance and shot 55.6 percent overall (20 of 36) as Hutchinson outscored Truman 49-29 in the opening 20 minutes.

Abdul-Hamid finished with a season-high 19 points, tying a season high with 5 of 9 from 3-point range. Abdul-Hamid added five rebounds.

Five Blue Dragons scored in double figures. Sophomore Kobe Smith hit a career-high three 3-pointers and closed with 16 points on 5 of 9 shooting.

D.J. Dudley finished with 16 points on 6 of 12 shooting. Jaquez Thornton had 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting. Khalil Arnold had 13 points on 3 of 7 3-point shooting.

Hutchinson shot 45.6 percent overall (35 of 72), hitting a season's-best 14 3-pointers in 34 attempts. The Dragons were 14 of 15 from the free-throw line. The Blue Dragons out-rebounded Truman 44-32. Hutchinson had nine turnovers.

Truman shot 37.9 percent overall (25 of 66), going 7 of 26 from 3-point range and 2 of 4 from the foul line. The Falcons had 18 turnovers.

Michael Dempsey had 15 points and Jory Boler had 10 points to lead Truman.

Trailing 8-7, the Blue Dragons took control of the game with an 18-2 run, nailing four 3-pointers over that stretch. Abdul-Hamid's 3-pointer with 10:40 left gave the Dragons a 25-10 lead. That run grew to 29-5 and when Arnold hit a 3-pointer, the Dragons led 36-13.

Hutchinson's first-have surge eventually grew to 35-7. Thornton's layup with 4:44 to go in the first half gave the Blue Dragons a 42-15 lead. The Blue Dragons led 49-26 at halftime.

The Blue Dragons had a 9-0 run early in the second half to build a 63-30 lead after an Arnold 3-pointer with 14:02 to play. The Dragons opened the second half on a 23-10 run to build a 72-36 lead after two Abdul-Hamid free throws with 11:07 remaining.

The Dragons had one more 11-0 run left to lead 92-45 after a Dudley bucket with 5:47 to play.

Hutchinson hit five more 3-pointers as it outscored Truman 49-33 in the second half.

GAME NOTES – D.J. Dudley tied a career high with two steals. … Jaquez Thornton tied a career high with five assists. … This was the first time Hutchison and Truman played in men's basketball. … This was all-time win No. 1,926. … Shomari Philip played his first game this season after missing the first four. Philip had four points. … The Blue Dragons held Truman to 26 points in the first half, the second time the Dragons held an opponent to less than 30 points in a half this season. … The Blue Dragon bench scored a season-high 55 points.