THREE DRAGONS POST DOUBLE-DOUBLES IN WIN OVER SANTA FE

Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Friday, December 29, 2017

FORT MYERS, Florida – The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team needed some time to shake off the effects of a 20-day layoff on Friday in the opening game of the FSW Classic.

Sophomore Kayla Barber came off the bench to spark the Blue Dragons in the opening quarter. Then freshman DeJanae Roebuck delivered after a slow start in the third quarter and freshman Jada Mickens carried the Blue Dragons home against Santa Fa College at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena.

Barber, Roebuck and Mickens all posted double-doubles as the Blue Dragons extended their winning-streak to eight games after a 67-57 victory over the Saints on Friday.

The Blue Dragons are now 10-2 overall and will face No. 21 Southwestern Florida State at 2 p.m. (CT) on Saturday. Santa Fe falls to 7-8 overall.

Mickens had a tough shooting game, but led all scorers with 19 points and 16 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season.

Barber supplied early energy after Hutchinson trailed twice in the opening quarter by eight points. Barber posted her first career double-double with a career-high 14 points and career-high-tying 11 rebounds.

Roebuck had her sixth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. She had eight points in the third quarter and helped hold off Santa Fe, who started the third quarter with an 8-0 run to cut Hutch's 10-point halftime lead to two.

Freshman Sara Cramer hit three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points.

The Blue Dragons shot 33.3 percent overall (22 of 66), going 5 of 21 from 3-point range and 18 of 27 from the free-throw line. Hutchinson out-rebounded Santa Fe 52-40, collecting 20 offensive rebounds. Hutch had 14 turnovers in the game.

After hitting 4 of its first 7 3-point attempts of the game, the Blue Dragons held the 13th-best 3-point-shooting team in the nation to 3 of 13 after that hot start. Overall the Saints were 22 of 67 shooting (32.8 percent), going just 6 of 10 from the foul line. Santa Fe also had 19 turnovers.

Brianna Richardson led Santa Fe with 11 points, hitting three 3-pointers. Janesia Law had 10 points.

When Julie Fournier hit Santa Fe's fourth 3-pointer of the first quarter, the Saints led 16-8 with 3:57 in the opening quarter. Barber sparks 16-1 Blue Dragon run to close the quarter with seven points on 3 of 3 shooting, including a three-point play, and four rebounds. The Blue Dragons erased that eight-point deficit and took its first lead of the game when Tia Bradshaw nailed a 3-pointer with 1:31 to play to give Hutch an 18-17 lead. Hutchinson led 22-17 after one quarter.

Cramer knocked down a pair of big 3-pointers in the second quarter. Her first came with 6:51 to play gave Hutch its first double-figure lead at 31-21. The second of Cramer's second quarter treys came at the 2:20 mark to give the Blue Dragons a 34-23 lead. Despite shooting only 3 of 17 in the second quarter, Hutchinson carried a 36-26 lead at halftime.

Between the second and third quarters, the Blue Dragons went without a field goal for 5 ½ minutes. Santa Fe came out and scored the first eight points of the third quarter to cut the Dragon lead to 36-34 with 7:02 to play in the period. Roebuck hit a 17-footer with 6:31 to go in the period to stop the Santa Fe run and sparked a 9-4 Hutch run. Roebuck scored 3:41 to play to give Hutch a 47-40 lead. Barber hit a 3-pointer late in the period to give Hutch a 55-45 lead, but Law drove and scored with 9 seconds to go to cut the Dragon advantage to 55-47 after three quarters. Roebuck had eight points and two rebounds in the period.

The Blue Dragons were once again challenged as Santa Fe score the first six points of the fourth quarter to cut the Hutch lead to 57-55 after a Richardson layup with 6:18 to play. The Blue Dragons answered with a 7-0 run over the next 3 minutes, 58 seconds. A Mickens basket with 2:20 left gave Hutch a 64-55 lead. Hutchinson held Santa Fe to 3 of 18 shooting and only one 3-pointer in the final quarter.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 21-3 all-time in holiday tournament games, this being their 12th holiday tournament appearance. … The Blue Dragons have won 10-striaght holiday tournament games. … Sara Cramer has nine 3-pointers in her last two games. … The Blue Dragons have out-rebounded opponents in all 12 games this season.