DRAGONS OVERCOME FOUL TROUBLE TO DOWN RAVENS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Minus its leading scorer because of injury and with its two main post players strapped in foul trouble just 6 ½ minutes into the game, the No. 9-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team depended on defense to earn a victory in the 2019-20 Jayhawk Conference opener.

The Blue Dragons held Coffeyville without a field goal for 11 minutes, 18 seconds of the first half and limited the Red Ravens to 33 percent shooting as Hutchinson earned a 71-53 on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons improve to 8-1 overall and 1-0 in the Jayhawk West. Hutchinson won its fifth-consecutive game over Coffeyville and takes a 13-12 all-time series lead. Coffeyville suffered its first loss of the season after 10-straight wins. The Blue Dragons travel to Independence on Saturday.

The Dragons were in immediate foul trouble with post players Brooklyn Betham and Nafatoumata Haidara and guard Makayla Vannett all strapped with two fouls in the first 7 minutes, 15 seconds of the opening quarter. The Blue Dragon defense was up to the challenge, holding Coffeyville to 1 of 10 shooting and forcing eight turnovers.

After trailing 4-3, the Blue Dragons closed the first quarter on a 12-1 run to lead 16-5 after one period. The closest the Red Ravens got after that was nine points at 20-11 with 5:46 remaining in the second quarter.

All nine Blue Dragons to suit up scored for Hutchinson. Vannett knocked down 4 of 9 3-pointers to finish with a game-high 18 points. Vannett moved into a tie for eighth place on the Hutchinson career 3-point list with Wendy Fehrenbach (2003-05) with 118.

Betham, who actually had three first-half fouls, had a huge second half to post her second double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Betham had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the second half.

Sophomore Lauryn Mapusua also had a big second half, scoring seven of her 11 points in the second half. Mapusua also had eight rebounds.

Sasha Francis had eight points, while Tor'e Alford had seven points and four assists and Haidara had six points.

The Blue Dragons finished shooting 24 of 52 (46.2 percent), hitting 8 of 23 from 3-point range. The Dragons struggled at the line, hitting just 15 of 31 from the stripe, including 9 of 20 in the final two quarters. The Dragons out-rebounded Coffeyville 45-34. Each team had 19 turnovers.

The Ravens finished 19 of 57 shooting overall (33.3 percent), going 7 of 20 from 3-point range and 8 of 17 from the foul line.

Julia Calafell came off the bench to score a team-high 16 points on 4 of 6 3-point shooting. Alana Kramer had 10.

Coffeyville hit four 3-pointers in the second half after its cold shooting start. Twice in the second quarter, the Dragons matched Raven threes. First Vannett hit with 5:32 to play in the quarter, and then freshman Presley Barton drilled a three to match the Ravens and give the Blue Dragons a 26-11 lead with 5:08 remaining in the second period.

The Dragons hit a dagger 3-pointer at the end of the first half when Francis drilled a 3-pointer from the right corner off an end-line inbounds pass from Alford to give Hutch a 32-19 lead at halftime.

Hutchinson started the second half on a 7-2 run to lead 39-21 after two Vannett free throws with 7:06 to play in the third quarter. The lead grew to a game-high 20 points on a Betham bucket with 3:19 remaining in the period. Coffeyville then scored seven in a row before Betham battled a Coffeyville player for her own miss and put it back to snap the Raven run and lead 49-34 with 1:23 remaining in the third.

Hutch led 53-39 after three quarters.