NO. 8 HUTCH WOMEN EARN TOP 10 VICTORY OVER NO. 6 GRIZZLIES

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team shot 50 percent against the nation's No. 3 defensive team and earned a Top 10 victory on Saturday at the Sports Arena.

The No. 8 Blue Dragons remained unbeaten and earned a second victory over a nationally ranked opponent as Hutchinson toppled No. 6 Butler 77-61, handing the Grizzlies their first loss of the season.

Hutchinson improves to 11-0 overall and 4-0 in the Jayhawk West. Butler falls to 12-1 and 3-1 in the Jayhawk East. This was the only regular-season meeting this season between Hutchinson and Butler this season.

The Blue Dragons snapped a 20-game streak of not shooting 50 percent against Butler by hitting 24 of 48 total shots in the game. It's the first time to shoot 50 percent or better against the Grizzlies since January 14, 2009. This was the fourth time the Blue Dragons have shot 50 percent this season.

Mixed in to that overall shooting percentage were 9 of 22 from 3-point range with seven different Blue Dragons hitting shots from long range.

The Blue Dragons shot 61.9 percent in the opening half and build a 40-35 lead. Hutch then finished the job hitting 6 of 10 shots in the fourth quarter; three were 3-pointers, as the Blue Dragons had leads as large as 19 points.

Defensively, the Blue Dragons were stingy, especially in the second half. After Butler shot 44 percent in the first two quarters, the Blue Dragons limited the Grizzlies to 7 of 30 shooting, which was outscored 37-26 in the second half.

Sophomore Dejanae Roebuck hit 8 of 10 field goals to finish with a game-high 17 points to go with six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Sophomore Jada Mickens had 16 points and eight rebounds on 5 of 6 shooting, both from the floor and foul line. Freshman Makayla Vannett hit three 3-pointers to finish with 15 points.

Abby Ogle had six points with six assists and four steals. Lauryn Mapusua had six points.

The Dragons were 20 of 28 from the free-throw line. The Dragons out-rebounded Butler 41-23.

Butler finished 18 of 55 shooting overall (32.7 percent), going 5 of 20 from 3-point range and 20 of 29 from the foul line.

Jalise Smallwood and Kyla Callins had 14 points each to lead Butler. Lauryn Snipes had 11 points.

The Blue Dragons got off to a great start and built a 16-7 lead after a Roebuck jumper with 4:23 to play in the first quarter. But Butler closed the half on an 11-2 run to knot the score at 18 after one quarter and took a three-point lead after a Callins 3-pointer on the first possession of the second quarter.

Butler built its largest lead of the game at four when Smallwood scored with 7:49 to play in the second to give the Grizzlies a 27-23 advantage. Tia Bradshaw countered with a 3-pointer and that sparks a 14-3 Blue Dragon run. Roebuck's layup with 2:00 to play capped the run and Hutch led 37-30. Butler cut the lead to three, but Mickens hit two free throws with 8 seconds left to give Hutch a 40-35 halftime lead.

Vannett opened the second half with a 3-pointer and Hutch scored the first seven points of the third quarter, holding Butler scoreless for the first 4:48 of the period to build a 47-35 lead. A Vannett 3-pointer with 1:04 to play gave Hutch a 57-43 lead, but Butler scored the final five points of the period and Hutch led 57-48 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter had much the same start as the third. Mickens hit a 3-pointer to open the period and Butler didn't score for the first 4:08 of the period and went the first 6:48 without a field goal. By that time, the Blue Dragons had a 69-53 lead.

The Blue Dragons will close out the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule with a road game to Cloud County at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Concordia.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons open s 56-30 all-time record over Butler. … The Dragons had a 22-12 advantage in the paint and 19-7 in second-chance points.