DEFENSE CARRIES DRAGONS TO REGION 6 TITLE GAME

The Blue Dragon women's basketball team celebrates a 2-pointer during its 49-39 Region VI Tournament semifinal victory over Barton on Friday at the Sports Arena. (Billy Watson/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

March 15, 2024

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team used another impressive defensive performance to advance to the championship game of the 2024 Region 6 Tournament on Friday afternoon at the Sports Arena.

Holding the Barton Cougars to an all-time series low offensive output for a second-straight game, the top-seeded Blue Dragons advanced to its 11th Region VI Tournament championship game with a 49-39 victory over the Cougars.

Now riding the third-longest winning streak in the program's 50-year history, the 32-0 Blue Dragons will play the third-seeded Butler Grizzlies in the Region VI Tournament championship game at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Sports Arena. The Blue Dragons will bid for its ninth regional title on Saturday.

Trailing 15-10 after one quarter, the Blue Dragons limited Barton to just 24 points in the final three quarters on Friday. The Cougars made 6 of 12 shots in the first quarter, but missed 31 of their final 41 shots in the second, third and fourth quarters.

Hutchinson held Barton to 3 of 10 shooting in the second quarter as the Blue Dragons outscored Barton 20-7 in the second stanza to lead 30-22 at halftime. Limiting the Cougars to 7 of 31 overall shooting in the second half, the Blue Dragons outscored Barton 29-17 in the second half.

Bree Horyna hit three-straight 3-pointers in the first half to lead a balanced Blue Dragon offensive attack with 11 points. Horyna hit a 3-pointer with 1:28 to play in the first quarter that snapped a 7-0 Barton run. She then hit a game-tying 3 with 7:17 to play in the second quarter and gave the Dragons a 18-15 lead just 1 minute, 1 second later.

Armstead was the only other Blue Dragon to score in double figures with 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals. Armstead jumped from seventh to fourth on the Blue Dragon career assist list with 325 career assists.

Hailey Jackson had nine points and eight rebounds. Kiki Smith had eight points and five rebounds. Monae Duffy had seven points.

The Blue Dragons were held to a season-low offensive output shooting 37.0 percent for the game (17 of 46). The Dragons hit 9 of 21 3-pointers and were 6 of 8 from the free-throw line.

Rebounding was tied at 33-all. The Blue Dragons had 15 turnovers to Barton's 14.

Vera Ojenuwa had 10 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Cougars. Vivian Onugha had nine points and 12 rebounds.

The Cougars were 16 of 53 overall, going 4 of 20 from 3-point range and 3 of 7 from the free-throw line.

Trailing by one point in the opening quarter, Jackson knocked down a 3-pointer with 4:37 to play to give Hutchinson a 7-6 lead. Barton went on a 9-0 run over the next 4:30 and led 15-7 after a McKenna Vogl jumper. Horyna's 3-pointer with 1:28 left snapped that run and the Blue Dragons trailed 15-10 after the first quarter.

That Horyna 3-pointer sparked a 14-2 run. Armstead hit a 3-pointer with 4:38 left in the quarter gave Hutchinson a 21-17 lead. Barton scored the next five points to lead 22-21 with 2:48 points. Those were also the final points of the half for Barton. The Dragons closed the half on a 9-0 run, which was capped by a Horyna layup for a 30-22 Dragon lead at halftime.

The Blue Dragons opened a 14-point lead at 38-24 after a Smith 3-pointer with 7:13 to play in the third quarter. The lead grew to 18 at 44-26 on two Jackson free throws with 2:25 to play. Barton trimmed the Dragon lead to 44-31 by the end of the third quarter and 11 points at 44-22 with 5:35 to play in the fourth quarter. The Dragons went scoreless for 7 minutes, 15 seconds. Smith's second 3-pointer of the second half was a dagger which gave Hutchinson a 49-35 lead with 2:44 remaining in the game.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are 11-10 all-time in Region VI Tournament semifinal games, 88-28 overall and 4-5 in postseason games against Barton. … The Blue Dragons are now 9-0 this season when trailing after the first quarter. … The Dragons are 44-59 all-time against Barton. … This was all-time win No. 1,107 for the Dragons. … The 32 wins are the seventh most in Blue Dragon program history. … This was the fifth time this season the Blue Dragons held an opponent to less than 40 points.