DRAGONS RALLY TO EARN TOUGH ROAD WIN AT TECH

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

GOODLAND – The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team trails at Northwest Tech by four points with 6:10 to play in the second half on Monday night.

The Blue Dragons finished strong with a 17-6 run down the stretch and earned a tough 85-78 victory over the snake-bitten Mavericks on Monday night at Max Jones Fieldhouse.

Hutchinson improves to 15-2 overall and 6-2 in the Jayhawk West as head coach Steve Eck – it was announced earlier on Monday that he was going to be a 2019 NJCAA Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee – moved within three victories of 600 in his career. Northwest Tech dropped its seventh in a row to fall to 9-8 and 1-7 in league play.

The Blue Dragons led by as many as 11 points in the first half before carrying a 40-35 lead into halftime. The Blue Dragons trailed by as many as six points three times in the second half and were down 72-68 with 6:10 to play after Northwest's Ebon Jay converted a three-point play.

Malique Jacobs answered with a 2-point field goal and a 3-pointer to give Hutch a 73-72 lead 5:26 to go. Brandon Conwright answered back with a 3-pointer to give the Mavericks a 75-73 lead. But Dragons countered with three-straight scoring possessions. Saquan Singleton scored to tie the game, and then Chris Giles buried a huge 3-pointer to give the Dragons the league for good. Jacobs then scored with 3:12 left for an 80-75 lead as Hutch outscored Tech 12-3 in the final 4 minutes, 32 seconds.

Sophomore Rheaquone Taylor scored 23 points on 10 of 14 shooting to lead three Blue Dragons in double figures. He added six rebounds.

Freshman D.J. Mitchell scored 22 points with four assists. Jacobs came off the bench to score 16 points. Singleton had nine points and four assists. Giles finished with nine points, including two huge 3-point goals.

The Blue Dragons shot 50 percent for the game (32 of 64), including 16 of 30 from the field in the second half. The Dragons knocked down 7 of 17 from 3-point range and 14 of 23 from the foul line.

Hutchinson was out-rebounded for the sixth time this season, 39-38. Hutch had 18 assists and 13 turnovers.

Chris Freeman scored 24 points on 8 of 21 shooting to lead Northwest Tech. Jay had 12 points, Miles Gibson had 11 and Conwright had 10.

Northwest Tech was 28 of 67 shooting (41.8 percent), going 5 of 24 from 3-point range and 17 of 24 from the foul line. The Mavericks had 14 turnovers.

Hutchinson will play for the third time in six games on Wednesday when Garden City comes to the Sports Arena for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

GAME NOTES – Hutchinson is now 4-0 all-time against Northwest Tech. This was all-time Hutchinson win No. 1,795. … Hutchinson is now 4-2 in road games this season. … The Blue Dragons are 4-2 when out-rebounded this season. … The Dragons shot 50 percent or better for the seventh time this season. … Five different Blue Dragons recorded at least one blocked shot.