TURNOVERS COSTLY IN HUTCH WOMEN’S LOSS AT NO. 8 SEWARD

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

LIBERAL – The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team committed a season-high 34 turnovers and the No. 8 Seward County Saints took advantage as the No. 12 Blue Dragons lost 60-47 in the 2017-18 Jayhawk Conference opener for both teams on Saturday at the Green House.

The Blue Dragons fall to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the Jayhawk. Hutchinson began a three-game road trip on Saturday. The Blue Dragons continue their road trip on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Cloud County. Seward County improves to 3-0 and 1-0.

Tied at 7-all midway through the first quarter, the Saints took control of the game with a 23-4 run over a 10-minute stretch of the first half. When Vanessa Caro hit a 3-pointer with 5:53 to play in the second quarter, the Blue Dragons trailed 30-11. The Blue Dragons had 12 turnovers during that juncture.

Seward County took full advantage of Hutchinson's 34 turnovers; the most committed Hutchinson since turning the ball over 32 times on February 2, 2009 in a game against Seward County at the Green House. Hutch was outscored 37-17 in points off turnovers.

Freshman Dejanae Roebuck led Hutchinson with 15 points on 5 of 7 shooting with five rebounds and two steals.

Sophomore Kayla Barber came off the bench to contribute eight points and a team-high nine rebounds. Freshman Sara Cramer had seven points and a season-high six assists. Jada Mickens and Alicia Brown had six points each.

The Blue Dragons hit 18 of 42 total shots (42.9 percent), going 5 of 13 from 3-point range and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. Hutchinson held a 32-29 rebounding advantage.

The Saints hit nine 3-pointers on Saturday. Overall, Seward County was 22 of 56 shooting (39.3 percent), going 9 of 25 from long range and 7 of 15 from the free-throw line. The Saints committed 22 turnovers.

Mollie Mounsey had 15 points, five rebound, five assists and six steals to lead the Blue Dragons. Silvia Veloso had 12 points and Caro had 10 points.

The Blue Dragons' largest deficit was 21 points at 41-20 with 7:23 to go in the third quarter. That's when the Blue Dragons found some offensive success with a 14-0 run over the next 3 minutes, 50 seconds. The Blue Dragons pulled within seven at 41-34 after a Brown 3-pointer with 3:14 to play in the third quarter.

The Saints recovered to lead 49-39 after three quarters, but in the third period, Hutchinson outscored Seward County 21-11, shooting 8 of 12 with three 3-pointers. The Dragons held the Saints to 4 of 14 shooting with seven turnovers in the third quarter.

The Blue Dragons made one more run late in the game. Trailing 52-39 with 7:03 left, a Roebuck three-point play started an 8-0 Dragon run over the next four minutes. When Tia Bradshaw nailed a 3-pointer with 2:04 left in the fourth, Hutch trailed 52-47. But the Saints scored the final eight points of the game to seal the win.