DRAGONS ROLL BY BARTON FOR 5TH-STRAIGHT VICTORY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Freshman Natalie Payne scored a career-high 19 points and created a huge early spark for the Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team against the Barton Cougars on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons earned their fifth-consecutive victory and snapped a four-game losing streak to Barton in a 73-47 Jayhawk Conference victory over the Cougars.

Hutchinson improved to 18-4 overall and 12-4 in the KJCCC to remain 1.5 games behind first-place Independence. The Blue Dragons travel to Cowley at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday in Arkansas City. Barton fell to 11-10 overall and 8-7 in the league.

Payne led the Blue Dragons with her career performance. In addition to her season-high point total, Payne tallied career highs of seven total field goals made, 3 of 4 from 3-point range and six rebounds.

Payne hit two early 3-pointers to give the Blue Dragons a 9-6 lead and spark a 12-3 run to close the first quarter. She finished with 13 points in the first half to help the Blue Dragons build a 36-18 lead at halftime. Payne's third 3-pointer of the game with 1:27 to play in the third quarter gave Hutchinson a 57-31 lead.

Defensively, the Blue Dragons held their 11th consecutive opponent to less than 40 percent shooting, limiting the Cougars to 32.1 percent (17 of 53), including 3 of 15 from 3-point range. The Blue Dragons also forced 18 Barton turnovers.

Four players scored in double figures for the Blue Dragons altogether. Freshman Mya Williams had 15 points and a career-high four steals. Sophomore Kalyn Ervin finished with 12 points, hitting 3 of 5 from 3-point range and sophomore Tor'e Alford finished with 11 points and a season-high nine assists.

The Blue Dragons shot 45.6 percent for the game (26 of 57), hitting 10 of 23 3-point attempts and 11 of 14 from the free-throw line. The Dragons held a 38-32 rebounding advantage. Alford and Mele Kailahi tied with a game-high eight rebounds.

Brennan Kirchhoff had 14 points and Acorionna Lard had 11 points to lead the Cougars, who shot just 24 percent in the first half (6 of 25).

After a couple of early lead changes, the game was tied when Payne drilled her second 3-pointer of the game to give the Blue Dragons a 9-6 lead with 5:58 to play in the quarter. Payne scored inside for a five-point lead, but Lard hit a 3-pointer to cut the Dragon lead to 11-9 with 5:09 remaining in the quarter. The Blue Dragons then scored the final 10 points of the period to lead 21-0 after the opening period.

The Blue Dragons held Barton scoreless for 7 minutes, 5 seconds. Hutchinson scored 15 unanswered points over that span to take a 26-9 lead after a Kailahi 3-pointer with 8:22 remaining in the second quarter. From that point, the Dragon offense slowed – Hutchinson had only two points over a span of 4 minutes, 20 seconds – and Barton slowly chipped away, getting to within 11 points on three different occasions, the final one at 28-17 after two Addison Crites free throws with 3:44 remaining in the half. Payne scored inside for a 30-17 lead. That started an 8-1 Dragon run to close the half and lead 36-18 at halftime.

Three-point goals by Ervin and Alford were part of a 10-4 Hutch run to start the third quarter. The Blue Dragons boosted their lead to 46-22 after an Alford 3-pointer with 6:11 to play in the third quarter. Another Payne bucket boosted the Dragon lead to 28 at 59-31 with 37 seconds left to play in the third quarter. Hutchinson's largest lead was 32 after a Janaya Washington layup with 3:55 remaining in the final quarter gave the Blue Dragons a 70-38 lead.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons extended their current homecourt winning streak to 18 games dating back to last season. Hutchinson is 13-0 at the Sports Arena this season. … The Blue Dragons still trail the all-time series with Barton 58-40. … Now with 412 career wins, Blue Dragon head coach John Ontjes is three wins' shy of moving past Craig Brookover for third place on the KJCCC career coaching wins' list. … This was Hutchinson's fifth game of 10 or more 3-pointers. … Kalyn Ervin has had four consecutive games with three or more 3-pointers.