DRAGONS HEAD TO COFFEYVILLE ON SATURDAY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Now well into the second half of the Jayhawk Conference season, for those teams in contention, every game is a big game.

That's the case for the 17th-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team, which hits the road Saturday for the first time in two weeks to take on the Coffeyville Red Ravens.

The game tips at 5 p.m. at Coffeyville's Nellis Hall. The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and on sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) at 4:50 p.m. with Daren Dunn (play-by-play) and Rusty Hilst (analysis) calling the action. The game will also be streamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network at 4:50 p.m.

With 10 games remaining in the regular season, the Blue Dragons find themselves one game out of first place in the Jayhawk Conference standings. Cowley and Seward County lead the pack at 14-2. Hutchinson and Independence are at 13-3 and Butler is in fifth at 13-3. Coffeyville (10-10) expected to be contending at this point in the season, but finds itself in ninth place with an 8-8 KJCCC record.

Hutchinson comes off a 74-47 victory over Pratt on Wednesday at the Sports Arena in a game where the Blue Dragons were very solid defensively. The Dragons held the Beavers to 30.4 percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers.

DeJanae Roebuck had her second-straight 20-point game with 20 points on 8 of 13 shooting to lead the Dragons against Pratt. Jada Mickens added 13 and Alicia Brown had 10.

The Red Ravens have lost two in a row and 3 of 4 after Wednesday's 42-41 upset loss at Dodge City. Sky Jasper led Coffeyville with 14 points. The Ravens were held to 31.8 percent shooting and had 18 turnovers.

Jasper is Coffeyville's leading scorer at 11.6 points per game. Second-leading scorer Nalon Smith averages 9.0 points per game, but hasn't played since January 6. Lucy Burks averages 8.8 points per game.

Hutchinson defeated Coffeyville in the first meeting this season on November 21 at the Sports Arena. Backed by Tia Bradshaw's game-high 17 points and Roebuck's double-double, the Blue Dragons won 63-53.

The Blue Dragons had a tremendous defensive effort against Coffeyville in the first meeting. Hutch held the Ravens to 26.3 percent overall shooting (15 total field goals) and were out-rebounded 55-30.

Hutchinson, which is 6-2 in road games this season, is averaging 68.3 points per game offensively, shooting 40.5 percent overall, 29.1 percent from long range and 69.8 percent from the foul line. Defensively, The Dragons surrender 53.8 points, 33.6 percent shooting and 26.0 percent from 3-point range.

Coffeyville is scoring 60.1 points per game while shooting 37.4 percent overall, 28.5 percent from 3-point range and 64.2 percent from the foul line. The Ravens give up 53.0 points, 35.6 percent from the field and 24.2 percent from behind the 3-point arc.