Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team used a 14-0 run late in a 30-point second quarter that lifted the No. 2-ranked Blue Dragons to a Jayhawk Conference home victory over the Independence Pirates.
The Blue Dragons broke open a four-point lead after the first quarter with a 30-9 second quarter and Hutchinson went on to defeat Independence 82-60 on Saturday at the Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragons improved to 21-0 overall and 15-0 in the Jayhawk Conference. Hutchinson travels to Pratt on Wednesday. Independence fell to 12-10 overall and 6-10 in league play.
The victory was the 15th consecutive win at the Sports Arena, which ties the 2015-16 Blue Dragons for the 10th-longest home-court winning streak in program history. The Dragons also extended their sixth-best start in team history and seventh-longest all-time win streak to 21 games.
Leading 22-18 after the first quarter, the Blue Dragons shot 55.0 percent in the second quarter to outscore the Pirates by 21 points and lead 52-27 at halftime. So far this season, the Blue Dragons are a plus-233 points in scoring margin in the second quarter alone.
Monae Duffy had her second 20-point game of the season, scoring a game-high 23 points on 9 of 10 shooting with a 3-pointer to lead the Blue Dragons. Duffy added seven rebounds.
Kiki Smith scored 13 points with three 3-point goals in six attempts. She added three blocked shots and two steals.
Hailey Jackson had 11 points and six rebounds. Journey Armstead scored 11 points with six assists, five rebounds and two steals.
Madi Denison posted her second double-double of the season with 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
The Blue Dragons shot 41.8 percent (28 of 57), hitting 7 of 21 3-pointers and 19 of 28 from the free-throw line. The Dragons out-rebounded Independence 52-32 and had 13 turnovers.
Merveille Nkoyock had 23 points with four 3-pointers to lead Independence. Sabrina Larsson finished with 16 points.
The Pirates shot 31.3 percent for the game (20 of 64). Independence was 10 of 37 from 3-point range and 10 of 12 from the line. The Pirates turned the ball over 17 times.
The Blue Dragons never trailed in the game, but there were three ties in the opening quarter. The Dragons used an early 8-2 run to build a 17-9 lead after a Duffy fastbreak basket with 2:36 to play in the period. The Pirates answered with a 9-1 run and tied the game at 18-all after a Larsson 3-pointer with 57 seconds to play. Akaysha Muggeridge and Armstead scored on Hutchinson's final two possessions of the quarter for a 22-18 lead after 10 minutes.
The Dragons scored the first seven points of the second quarter to complete an 11-0 run. Duffy capped the run with a bucket in the paint for a 29-18 lead with 8:21 to play in the quarter. Leading 36-24, the Blue Dragons broke the game open with a 14-0 run over a span of 3 minutes, 7 seconds. Five different Hutchinson players scored in the run. Armstead's layup with 1:24 to play capped the run for a 50-24 lead. The Dragons led 52-27 at halftime.
Leading 55-34, the Blue Dragons went on a 9-0 run in the third quarter. Duffy had seven of the nine points in the run and the Dragons built a 64-34 lead with 5:20 to play in the third quarter. The Dragons upped the lead to 31 at 70-39 after an Armstead layup with 2:32 to play. The Dragons led 71-41 after three quarters.
Independence opened the fourth quarter with an 11-2 run to pull within 21 points at 73-52. The Pirates outscored the Blue Dragons 19-11.
GAME NOTES – Hutchinson's 82 points tied for the second-most points scored against the Pirates in series history. … The Blue Dragons won their fifth-straight game over Independence. The Dragons are 41-15 all-time vs. the Pirates, including 16-2 in the Sports Arena. … Peyton Mosley had a career-high five rebounds. … Monae Duffy had her ninth career 20-point game. … The Dragons had their eighth 50-plus rebound game of the season. … Hutchinson's 30 points in the second quarter was the fifth 30-point quarter of the season.