DRAGONS FALL IN OT AT SEWARD COUNTY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

LIBERAL – The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team battled back from a 14-point deficit to force overtime, but the Seward County Saints scored the first five points of the extra session and the Blue Dragons weren't able to recover again.

No. 2 Seward County repeated as Jayhawk West champion on Sunday with a 77-69 victory over No. 6 Hutchinson at the Green House. The game was pushed back a day because of Saturday's winter storm.

The Blue Dragons fall to 28-2 overall and 19-2 in the Jayhawk West. The Dragons finish second out of the Jayhawk West and will play East No. 7 Allen at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the opening round of the Region VI Tournament at the Sports Arena. Seward County, which extended its home-court winning streak to 50, earned an opening-round bye.

Hutchinson trailed 36-22 with 2:23 to play in the second quarter. The Blue Dragons scored the final six points of the period, getting a 3-pointer from Makayla Vannett to pull within 36-28 at halftime. The Blue Dragons continued their comeback with a 12-1 run to open the third quarter. Another Vannett 3-pointer gave Hutch its first lead of the game and Dejanae Roebuck's transition layup with 5:50 left in the third gave the Dragons a 41-37 lead.

Seward County closed the third quarter on a 14-5 run to lead 51-46 after three quarters and trailed by seven points just 33 seconds into the final quarter.

Down 58-52, Roebuck scored inside and Abby Ogle scored on back-to-back drives to the hoop to tie the game at 58 with 4:31 to go. After the Saints took back the lead, Hutch tied it on another Ogle bucket and took a 62-60 lead on a Tia Bradshaw jumper with 1 minute to play. Silvia Veloso tied the game with 27 seconds left on a drive to the hoop. Hutch last-second shot didn't fall and Hutch went to overtime for the first time this season.

Veloso started overtime with a three-point play and steal and layup to give Seward County a 67-62 lead with 4:23 to play. Bradshaw's drive to the hoop for a score pulled Hutch within three, but Seward's offense dominated the extra period, outscoring Hutchinson 15-7, hitting 3 of 6 shots from the field and 9 of 15 free throws. The Dragons were 3 of 7 shooting with three of their 20 turnovers in the extra period.

Roebuck posted her eighth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Her first field goal moved her past Tessa Morrow into the Blue Dragon career scoring Top 10. She is now eighth on the career list with 908 points and is now No. 4 in career rebounds with 591 boards.

Vannett hit 4 of 8 3-pointers and finished as the only other Blue Dragon in double figures with 14 points.

Jada Mickens had nine points and seven rebounds. Bradshaw and Milan Schimmel had eight points each. Ogle closed with seven points.

The Blue Dragons were 28 of 68 shooting (41.3 percent), hitting 7 of 20 from 3-point range and 6 of 14 from the foul line.

The Blue Dragons were out-rebounded for only the second time this year 53-42. That was the most rebounds allowed this season. The Saints grabbed an opponent season-high 22 offensive boards to build a 17-9 scoring advantage in second-chance points.

The Saints had four players score in double figures led by Lexi Hernandez's 17 points on 3 of 6 3-point shooting. Carla Covane had a double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds, the most individual boards by an individual against Hutch this season. Veloso had 14 points and seven steals. Aquila Mucubanquire had 12 points.

Seward County shot 27 of 73 (37.0 percent), including 4 of 20 from 3-point range and 19 of 33 from the free-throw line.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons have dropped four in a row to Seward County and now trail in the all-time series 44-48. … Dejanae Roebuck had her 22nd career double-double. … Hutch's previous high for rebounds allowed in a game this season was 39 to Independence. … The Dragons are 27-1 when out-shooting opponents.