DRAGONS GET DEFENSIVE WITH NO. 7 BUTLER

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team made a case to return to the NJCAA Top 25 with a tremendous defensive performance to upend No. 7 Butler on Saturday night at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons, receiving votes in the last two national polls, held the high-scoring Grizzlies 37 points under their season-scoring average as Hutchinson downed the Grizzlies 68-50 in a Jayhawk Conference battle.

The Blue Dragons improve to 10-2 overall and are now 4-2 in the KJCCC. The Dragons travel to Coffeyville on Wednesday. Butler lost for the first time this season, falling to 10-1 and 5-1 in league play.

Hutchinson held Butler to season lows of 50 points and 30.0 percent overall shooting (18 of 60). Holding Butler to 32 percent in the first half, the Blue Dragons built a 32-24 lead at halftime.

Hutchinson's defense was tremendous in the third quarter as Butler missed its first 10 shots of the period and was 2 for 17 in the period. The Dragons opened the third quarter on a 13-2 run and led 45-26 after a Mya Williams' 3-pointer with 3:44 to play in the period. Butler scored the next six, but Hutchinson answered with a 5-0 run that included a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Kalyn Ervin for a 50-32 lead after three periods.

Hutchinson's 3-point shooting was also a huge difference as the Blue Dragons hit a season-high 14 3-point field goals. Four different players had at least three 3-point goals. Williams was 4 of 5 from distance, while Ervin, Tor'e Alford and Mele Kailahi had three treys apiece.

Butler was limited to 4 of 14 from 3-point range.

The Blue Dragons shot at lead 45 percent in a game for the first time in nine games, shooting 45.3 percent (24 of 53). The Dragons were out-rebounded 36-31. Hutchinson had 21 turnovers, while forcing 22 Grizzly turnovers.

Alford finished with season highs of 19 points and eight assists. She added two steals and was 4 of 4 from the free-throw line.

Kailahi just missed a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds. Her three 3-pointers were a season high. Ervin and Williams had 14 points each. Ervin added four assists and three steals.

MeKayla Furman and Kamiyah Lyons had 10 points each to lead the Grizzlies.

GAME NOTES – The 14 3-pointers by the Blue Dragons tie the 2017 against Colby and 2018 matchups against the Washburn JV and Jefferson College for the fourth-most 3-pointers in single-game history. … The Blue Dragons are 58-32 all-time against Butler, 29-13 in the Sports Arena.