BLUE DRAGONS GO INSIDE TO SUBDUE NEOSHO COUNTY

Majok Kuath's dunk in the second half were part of a 52-point performance by the No. 2 Blue Dragon men scoring in the paint Wednesday at the Sports Arena. Hutchinson defeated Neosho County 101-78. (Nathan Addis/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

December 4, 2019

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The No. 2-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team's 52 points in the paint offset Neosho County's 13 3-point field goals and the Blue Dragons were able to remain unbeaten.

The Blue Dragons shot 55 percent from the floor en route to a 101-78 Jayhawk Conference victory over the Panthers at the Sports Arena.

Hutchinson improves to 11-0 overall and 3-0 in the Jayhawk West. The Blue Dragons travel to Butler at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in El Dorado in the annual renewal of one league's classic rivalries. Neosho County is 5-6 overall and 1-1 in the Jayhawk East.

This was Hutchinson's sixth-straight win over Neosho County. The Blue Dragons own a 42-5 all-time series record over the Panthers, including 23-1 at home.

The Blue Dragons led just 30-28 with 3:53 to play in the first half. From that point, the Dragons started to attack the basket, getting two-straight hoops in the paint and a Josh Baker 3-pointer in a key 10-0 Dragon run to lead 40-28 with 1:39 to play in the half.

Hutchinson outscored Neosho County 52-20 in the paint to lead 45-33 at halftime and then outscore Neosho County 56-45 in the second half.

The Blue Dragons shot better than 50 percent for the third-straight game and seventh time this season, hitting 33 of 60 from the field (55.0 percent). Hutch hit 6 of 12 free throws and went 29 of 46 from the free-throw line to eclipse the 100-point mark for the third time this season.

Sophomore Tyler Brown posted his fourth 20-point game of the season with 21 points. Brown added a career-high five assists and three rebounds.

Sophomore Saquan Singleton had 13 points to go with eight assists and five rebounds. Sophomore D.J. Mitchell had 12 points and freshman Majok Kuath had 11 points. Josh Ursery, Josh Baker and Fred Odhiambo all had seven points each.

The Blue Dragons were out-rebounded 38-34, but had just 11 turnovers. Hutchinson also had a season-high 27 assists on 33 made baskets.

The Panthers knocked down an opponent season-high 13 3-pointers on 37 attempts. Neosho County shot 40.6 percent overall (26 of 64). The Panthers were 9 of 10 from the free-throw line. Neosho had 16 turnovers.

Trey Bates finished with 23 points, hitting 4 of 8 3-pointers. Jonathan Breeland added 17 and Corbett Kimberlin had 11.

Early on, the Blue Dragons held Neosho County scoreless for 4 minutes, 10 seconds and built a 13-5 lead after two Singleton free throws with 11:56 remaining in the opening half. Neosho County cut the lead to three twice, but a 10-4 run capped by Brown's 3-poiner with 8:26 remaining in the half boosted the Hutch advantage to 25-16.

The Panthers went on a 10-2 run to cut the Hutch lead to 28-26 after a Breeland 3-pointer with 5:14 remaining. Then tied at 30-28, the Dragons started getting the ball inside. A Kuath layup and Singleton layup started a 10-0 run that was capped by a Kuath free throw for a 40-28 Hutch lead with 1:39 left.

Brown scored in transition with 17 seconds left in the half to give Hutchinson a 45-33 lead at halftime.

The closest the Panthers got in the second half with 10 points at 52-42 after a Bates jumper with 16:21 to play in the game. Back-to-back layups by Brown and Singleton pushed the lead to 14 and started another 10-0 run as Hutch pushed the advantage to 20 points for the first time at 64-44 after two Baker free throws with 11:40 to play.

Hutchinson's largest lead of the game was 26 points.