DRAGONS ON ROAD AGAIN SATURDAY AT NEOSHO COUNTY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Now back to .500 in Jayhawk Conference play, the No. 12-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team looks for a third-straight victory on Saturday with a road trip to Chanute meet the Neosho County Panthers.

Tipoff for Saturday's game will be at 2 p.m. at the Neosho County Gym. The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and in sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) with Glen Grunwald calling the action. The game will also be streamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network. Airtime for both radio and video is approximately 1:50 p.m.

A staple of Blue Dragon women's basketball, especially since 2003, has been strong defense. That defense has helped the Blue Dragons recover from a 0-2 start in league play. In victories over Pratt and Coffeyville, the Blue Dragons allowed an average of 42.0 points per game with opponents shooting only 24.3 percent from the field. The Blue Dragons are also a plus-49 in rebounding margin in the last two games.

For the season, the Blue Dragons are tied for second in the Jayhawk Conference in scoring defense at 49.0 points per game and leads the nation in field-goal defense at 31.2 percent. Only one team has shot better than 40 percent and three have shot less than 30 percent in the first six games.

Offensively, Hutchinson is averaging 66.7 points per game shooting 42.3 percent overall and 28.6 percent from 3-point range.

Three Blue Dragons are averaging in double figures led by freshman Jada Mickens, who is averaging 15.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per contest. Freshman Dejanae Roebuck is averaging 12.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Sophomore Alicia Brown is at 10.3 points per game.

Neosho County enters the game on a two-game losing streak with losses to Independence and an 82-74 setback on Wednesday at Dodge City.

The Panthers are averaging 71.0 points per game, shooting 35.7 percent from the field and 21.6 percent from 3-poitn range. Defensively, Neosho County is allowing 75.3 points per game with opponents shooting 41.7 percent overall and 34.1 percent from 3-point range.

Neosho County is balanced offensively with eight players averaging six or more points per game. Freshman forward Erica Birch is the Panthers' leading scorer at 10.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. She is shooting 55.1 percent from the floor. DeQuandra Lyles is at 8.5 points, Don'Tajah Jones is at 8.3 points and Shariah Smith is at 8.0 points per game.

The Blue Dragons return home on Wednesday to take on the Colby Trojans.