HUTCH WOMEN AIM TO EXTEND WIN STREAK

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team is back in the Sports Arena for the first time in nearly a month. Plenty has happened since then.

Winners of 10-consecutive games, the Blue Dragons (12-2, 8-2 Jayhawk) play host to the Allen Red Devils at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Sports Arena. The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) at 5:20 p.m. with Glen Grunwald (play-by-play) and Rusty Hilst (analysis) calling the action.

Since the Blue Dragons defeated Barton 72-53 on December 9 at the Sports Arena, Hutchinson has been to Florida to earn a pair of wins, including over No. 21 Florida Southwestern State. The Blue Dragons returned to conference play on Wednesday and defeated No. 18 Cowley 78-70 in Arkansas City. That was Hutch's 10th-consecutive victory – eight in a row in the KJCCC after starting the conference season 0-2.

The win moved the Blue Dragons into a four-way tie for first place in the Jayhawk with Cowley, Independence and Seward County. Wednesday's triumph also pushed Blue Dragon head coach John Ontjes one victory away from milestone win No. 300 in his Hutchinson career. Ontjes will bid to become only the eight women's basketball coach in Jayhawk Conference history to reach 300 career victories.

The Blue Dragons snapped a four-game streak of shooting less than 40 percent on Wednesday with 48.1 percent shooting against the Tigers. The Dragons did have to overcome 31 turnovers against the Tigers.

The 1-2 inside punch of Jada Mickens and Dejanae Roebuck continues to lead the way for the Dragons. Mickens and Roebuck rank 1-2 in the Jayhawk Conference in rebounding at 11.1 and 10.3 rebounds per game, respectively.

Rebounding has been a key for the 2018 Blue Dragons, who have yet to be out-rebounded in a game this season. The Dragons are second in the KJCCC in rebounding at 46.0 boards per game and are a plus-14.9 in rebounding margin. Hutchinson is also averaging 15.6 offensive rebounds per contest.

Allen started off the 2018 portion of the schedule on a high note with a 66-42 home win over Dodge City on Wednesday. That snapped a six-game losing streak for the Red Devils.

Jakira Wilson came off the bench to lead the Red Devils (4-10, 2-8) with 21 points, going 11 of 14 from the free-throw line. Defensively, Allen held Dodge City to 28.4 percent shooting and 0 of 11 from 3-point range.

Allen averages 65.5 points per game offensively with 40.0 percent field-goal shooting and 29.6 percent from 3-point range. Kamri Summons is Allen's leading scorer at 11.9 points per game. She is shooting 57.6 percent overall and 47.6 percent from 3-point range. Tamera Shaver averages 10.1 points per game.