BLUE DRAGONS KNOCK OFF TIGERS TO MOVE TO 16-0

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Four players scored in double figures as the Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team extended their winning streak to 16 games on Saturday night at the Sports Arena.

The No. 4-ranked Blue Dragons defeated Cowley College 83-69 in a Jayhawk Conference matchup, defeating the Tigers for the 12th-consecutive time.

Hutchinson is now 16-0 overall and 7-0 in the Jayhawk West. Hutch's 16-0 start ties for the fifth-best start in program history. The Dragons' 16-game winning streak ties for the sixth-longest in team history Cowley falls to 13-4 overall and 5-3 in the Jayhawk East.

The Blue Dragons scored the first six points of the game and built leads of 10-3 and 23-13 in the first quarter, using a dominant inside game. Hutchinson outscored Cowley 34-16 in the paint and out-rebounded the Tigers 46-26. Grabbing 19 offensive rebounds, the Blue Dragons had a 26-3 advantage in second-chance points.

Leading the way was sophomore Dejanae Roebuck, who finished with 17 points and nine rebounds. Roebuck tied a career-high 11 free throws on 15 attempts and she added three steals.

Freshman Abby Ogle had a solid all-around game with 13 points on 5 of 10 shooting. She tied career highs with five field goals and seven rebounds. Ogle also had six assists and three steals.

Freshman Makayla Vannett finished with 11 points. Freshman Milan Schimmel had 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. Freshman Lauryn Mapusua and sophomore Jada Mickens had six points each.

The Blue Dragons were 28 of 65 overall from the floor (43.1 percent), hitting 9 of 28 from 3-point range and 18 of 28 from the free-throw line.

Cowley hit an opponent season-high 12 3-pointers and became only the second opponent this season to shoot better than 40 percent against the Blue Dragons. The Tigers shot 40.7 percent (22 of 54), hitting 12 of 28 from 3-point range and 13 of 16 from the foul line. The Tigers had 18 turnovers.

Paige Granstaff scored a team-high 14 points to lead the Tigers. Kedranea Addison had 13 points.

A pair of fast break baskets by Mickens and two Roebuck free throws were part of Hutch's initial 6-0 run in the first three minutes of the game. The Dragons didn't allow Cowley's first field goal until the 3:34 mark. Mapusua answered that with a 3-pointer for a 13-5 Hutchinson lead with 3:17 to go. Leading 20-10, the Blue Dragons built their largest lead of the quarter of 13 after a Sara Cramer 3-pointer. Addison closed the quarter with a 3-pointer at the buzzer and Hutchinson led 23-13.

Vannett knocked down a 3-pointer with 6:26 to go to give Hutch a 30-19 lead. The Tigers followed with a 10-3 and pulled within 33-29 with 3:38 left after a Granstaff 3-pointer. The Dragons snapped that run with a Roebuck three-point play at the 3:05 mark. That play sparked a half-closing 7-1 run. Schimmel knocked down a 3-pointer to give Hutch a 40-31 lead at halftime.

The Blue Dragons opened the second half on an 11-3 run over the first 3 minutes of the third quarter to lead 51-34 after an Ogle three-point play. The Tigers hit a pair of 3-pointers as Cowley trimmed its deficit to 11 at 53-42 after a Brenda Silva inside hoop. The Dragons answered with a Vannett 3-pointer and a Tia Bradshaw basket for a 58-42 lead with 2:54 to play. Keeley Tini scored with 33 seconds left to close out a 22-15 third quarter for the Blue Dragons, which led 62-46.

Leading 64-51 early in the fourth quarter, layups by Schimmel, Ogle and Tijuana Kimbro and a Roebuck jumper gave Hutch its largest lead of the game of 21 at 72-51 with 6:24 to go. The Blue Dragons hit a rough patch as Cowley outscored Hutch 18-4 over the next 4 minutes, 22 seconds. The Tigers scored 11 unanswered points to cut the Dragon lead to 76-69 with 2:02 to play. An Ogle layup with 1:26 left ended the Cowley run and the Blue Dragons scored the game's final seven points of the contest.

The Blue Dragons started a stretch of four games in eight days. Hutch has a short turnaround with a Monday road trip to Goodland to play Northwest Kansas Tech at 6:30 p.m. CT.

GAME NOTES – Hutchinson head coach John Ontjes coached in his 399th game on the Blue Dragon bench Saturday night. … The Blue Dragons are now 25-22 all-time against Cowley. … Hutch's 16-0 start ties the 1989-90 and 2004-05 teams for the fifth-best start in team history. … Hutch's 16-game winning streak matches the 1977-78, 1989-90 and 2004-05 teams for the sixth-longest win streak.