LOCKDOWN 4TH QUARTER POWERS DRAGONS TO WIN

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

COLBY – The Hutchinson's Community College women's basketball team came up with a stellar defensive performance in the fourth quarter to return from the 21-day holiday break with a Jayhawk Conference road victory.

The No. 19-ranked Blue Dragons held Colby scoreless for the first 8 minutes, 23 seconds of the fourth quarter to break a tied score after three periods for a 64-55 KJCCC win against the Colby Trojans on Saturday at the Colby Event Center.

Hutchinson improved to 12-3 overall and 7-2 in the Jayhawk Conference. The Blue Dragons will play host to the Coffeyville Red Ravens at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Sports Arena. Colby is now 6-8 overall and 3-5 in the KJCCC.

The Blue Dragons have now won 23-consecutive games against Colby.

Hutchinson led 47-34 with 6:25 remaining in the third quarter, but Colby outscored the Blue Dragons 16-3 over the remainder of the period to tie the game at 50-50 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Blue Dragon defense took over, holding the Trojans to 1 of 6 shooting and forcing eight turnovers as Hutchinson outscored Colby 14-5 in the quarter. Colby didn't score its first points of the quarter until free throws with 1:37 left. Colby's lone field goal – the Dragons held Colby without a field goal for 12 minutes, 50 seconds going back to the third quarter – until 7 seconds remaining in the quarter.

The five points allowed in the fourth quarter were an opponent season-low for any quarter this season.

Freshman KaMyra Barber tied a career scoring high of 23 points to lead the Blue Dragons. She tied a career high, going 3 of 4 from 3-point range and was 10 of 16 overall. Barber added seven rebounds and four assists.

Sophomore Katie Duncan scored 18 points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers. Sophomore Noelle Anthon had10 points on 4 of 6 shooting, including a 3-pointer, with a career-best five assists, two steals and two rebounds. Freshman Whitney Brown had six points and five assists.

The Blue Dragons shot 46.6 percent for the game (27 of 58), hitting 6 of 20 from 3-point range and 4 of 8 from the foul line. Rebounding was even at 29-29, but the Blue Dragons scored 19 points off 14 offensive rebounds.

Colby became only the third team to shoot at least 40 percent against the Blue Dragons this season, shooting 45.9 percent (17 of 37), hitting 6 of 17 from 3-point range and 15 of 21 from the foul line. The Trojans had 20 turnovers.

Dessirae Ulmer had a double-double against the Dragons with 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead Colby. Olivia Hultgren had 14 points.

The Blue Dragons got off to a strong offensive start, jumping out to a 9-2 lead after a Jaden Wilson layoff after a Colby turnover. The lead grew to 19-9 after Barber's second 3-pointer of the quarter with 2:06 to play. The Blue Dragons shot 61.5 percent in the quarter and led 19-14 after 10 minutes.

Colby scored the final five points of the first quarter and tacked on seven more to start the second for a 12-0 run and took a 21-19 lead after an Easha Potts field goal with 6:15 remaining. The Dragons were scoreless for 6 minutes, 19 seconds. Duncan ended that drought with a layoff at 5:47 to go and it sparked a 15-4 Dragon run over the next 4 minutes. Duncan ended the run with a layup at the 2:02 mark for a 34-25 lead. The Dragons led 36-29 at halftime.

The third quarter was full of runs, starting with a 4-0 Trojan spurt to pull within 36-33. The Dragons then went on an 11-1 run and took a 47-34 lead after a Barber bucket following an offensive rebound. Colby rallied with a 16-3 run to tie the game at 50-50 after three quarters.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 63-14 all-time vs. Colby. … This was the Dragons' all-time 550th KJCCC victory in program history. … The Dragons are 3-2 on the road this season. …