RUDOLPH BUZZER-BEATER POWERS DRAGONS PAST NO. 15 BARTON
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
GREAT BEND – Sophomore Lolo Rudolph's only basket of the game turned out to be a buzzer-beating game winner to lead the Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team to an upset of the 15th-ranked Barton Cougars on Wednesday night.
Rudolph's game-winning shot completed a comeback from a 10-point deficit as Hutchinson defeated the Cougars 58-57 at the Fleske Fieldhouse, snapping a seven-game losing streak against Barton.
Hutchinson improved to 7-4 overall and 2-3 in the KJCCC. The Blue Dragons play host to No. 21 Cowley at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Sports Arena. Barton is now 8-3 overall and 3-2 in the KJCCC.
The Blue Dragons trailed by six points at halftime and 32-22 with 18:19 remaining in the second half. The Dragons held Barton to 32.1 percent in the second half to start the comeback. Trailing 57-55 after getting a defensive stop with 23 seconds to play in regulation, the Blue Dragons had the final possession. Daleron Thomas had the ball in the right corner, who was double teamed by the Cougars. He passed to Rudolph, who drove around one defender and pulled up for a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.
This was the second time this season the Blue Dragons have rallied from a double-figure deficit to win a game. The other was an 11-point deficit against Butler that the Dragons rallied from for an 83-82 win on November 22.
Sophomore Kyrell Shaw snapped a two-game scoring slump with 14 of his game-high 18 points in the second half. Shaw was 8 of 16 shooting, going 2 of 5 from 3-point range. Shaw had six rebounds.
Bobby Cannon finished with 10 points and seven rebounds with five assists. Freshman Kordell Williams finished with eight points and Thomas closed with seven points.
The Blue Dragons shot 45.3 percent (24 of 53), hitting 7 of 18 from 3-point range and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line. The Dragons had only 12 turnovers.
Noah Williams' double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds led Barton. Jayden Ramirez and Aris Rodriguez had 10 points each.
The Cougars shot a season-low 28.8 percent (17 of 59) overall, hitting 5 of 22 from 3-point range and 18 of 24 from the free-throw line.
The Blue Dragons trailed 9-8 with 13:05 remaining in the opening half. Barton scored seven unanswered points to build a 16-8 lead after a Williams 3-pointer with 9:47 to go in the half. Trailing 16-13, the Dragons saw Barton go on a 10-3 run as the Cougars built a 26-16 lead with 1:59 to play in the first half.
The Dragons got a layup from Thomas and a jumper from Cannon to finish the opening half on a 4-0 run and trail the Cougars 26-20 at halftime.
Barton pushed its lead back to 10 at 32-22 with 18:19 to play. A Shaw jumper cut the Barton lead to 32-29 with 16:58 to play.
The Dragons made several small runs through the second half, but Barton maintained its lead and regained a seven-point lead at 49-42 after two Rodríguez free throws with 8:13 to go.
A Williams layup with 5:29 remaining cut the Dragon deficit to 49-48. The Dragons finally grabbed their first lead when Asher Boney hit a right-corner 3-pointer with 2:26 to go for a 55-54 lead.
Rodriguez hit 3 of 4 free throws to give Barton a 57-55 lead with 1:18 remaining. After two empty possessions, the Dragons needed a defensive stop and got that stop by forcing Barton into a shot clock violation with 23 second remaining. That stop set up the Blue Dragons' game-winning shot by Rudolph at the buzzer.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are 92-37 against Barton. … The Dragons earned their first win in Great Bend since November 27, 2021. … This was all-time Blue Dragon win No. 1,949. … This was Hutchinson's first win over a ranked opponent this season. … The Dragons are 1-2 this season when trailing at half. … Chudier Dorar had four blocked shots, his fifth game with four or more blocks this season.