DRAGONS SCORE SEASON-HIGH 91 POINTS IN VICTORY OVER COWLEY

Monae Duffy scores a career-high 24 points as the Blue Dragon women roll to a decisive 91-70 victory over the Cowley Tigers on Wednesday at the Sports Arena. (Sammi Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

February 1, 2023

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team scored a season-high offensive output and shot better than 53 percent for the game as the Blue Dragons rolled to a 12-0 record at the Sports Arena this season with a decisive Jayhawk Conference victory on Wednesday night.

Freshman Monae Duffy scored a career-high 24 points to pace the Blue Dragons in a 91-70 victory over the Cowley Tigers on Wednesday.

The Blue Dragons improved to 18-5 overall and are now on sole possession of fourth place in the Jayhawk Conference after Coffeyville's loss to Butler on Wednesday with a 12-5 league record. Hutchinson plays host to Butler at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Sports Arena. The Blue Dragons split the season series with Cowley, which is now 12-11 overall and 7-10 in the league.

Working against Cowley's full-court press, the Blue Dragons shot 72.2 percent (13 of 18) in the opening quarter to lead 29-23 after one period. Duffy had 16 points in the first half as Hutchinson built a 47-34 lead at halftime. The Dragons continued their strong play in the second half outscoring Cowley in both quarters, outscoring the Tigers 44-36 in the second half.

Hutchinson's 91-point outburst bettered the 90 points scored against the Washburn JV on November 9. The 29 points scored in the first quarter was the highest-scoring opening quarter and tied for the highest-scoring quarter all season. The 49 points in the first half was the second-highest scoring half this season.

Duffy had a season-high 12 field goals on 19 attempts in her best offensive game of the season. Five of Duffy's seven rebounds were offensive.

Sophomore Mya Williams scored 17 points on 6 of 8 shooting. She added four rebounds and a career-high seven assists.

Sophomore Leata Te Nana-Williams scored a season-high 12 points with a pair of 3-point goals. Sophomore Morgan Browning scored 10 points, while sophomore Kali Howard had eight points and sophomore Natalie Payne added seven points.

The Blue Dragons shot 52.2 percent (39 of 74) from the field, which is the second-best shooting percentage for a single game this season. The Dragons were 5 of 16 shooting from 3-point range and 8 of 14 from the free-throw line. The Dragons held a 41-34 rebounding advantage and had only 12 turnovers.

Hutchinson racked up a season-high 27 assists on 39 made baskets. Freshman Journey Armstead and Williams had seven assists each, with Howard and freshman Bree Horyna handing out four assists each, which were career highs for both players. Seven different Blue Dragons had at least one assist.

The Blue Dragons held Cowley to 38.1 percent shooting (24 of 83). The Tigers shot 8 of 26 from 3-point range and 14 of 19 from the foul line. Cowley had 21 turnovers.

Shamahra Henderson finished with 17 points to lead Cowley. Baylee Fincher had 13 points and Gracie Gilpin added 11 points.

There were three ties and one lead change in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the opening quarter. Tied at 8-all, the Dragons broke the Cowley press and Howard scored point blank to give the Dragons the lead for good. The Dragons led 12-8 before Fincher's second 3-pointer of the quarter pulled the Tigers within one point. The Dragons answered that challenge with a 10-0 run. Te Nana Williams' 3-pointer with 3.35 to play in the quarter gave Hutchinson a 21-11 lead. Hitting 13 of 18 shots in the opening 10 minutes, the Dragons led 29-23 after the first quarter.

Cowley scored the first five points of the second stanza to pull within 29-28, when the Dragons produced their second big scoring run of the game, going on a 13-0 run over a span of 4 minutes, 40 seconds. Te Nana Williams' second 3-pointer of the game capped the run and gave the Blue Dragons a 42-28 lead with 4:16 to play in the quarter. Horyna's 3-pointer from the left corner with 20 seconds to go gave the Dragons a 47-34 halftime lead.

Williams hit an early third-quarter 3-pointer to ignite the Dragon offense in the third quarter. Cowley pulled within 52-40 after a Henderson layup with 8:39 to play, but a quick 7-0 Hutchinson run pushed the margin gave to 17 after a Duffy jumper gave the Dragons a 59-40 lead with 6:25 remaining. The Blue Dragons led 70-52 after three quarters and built a game-high 26-point lead at 89-63 after a Ziya Simms layup with 1:45 to play in the game.

GAME NOTES – This was the Blue Dragons' third game this season to shoot better than 50 percent. … The Dragons are now 31-24 all-time against Cowley, 14-6 against the Tigers in the Sports Arena and it was Hutchinson's eighth-consecutive home win against the Tigers. … With two 3-pointers, Mya Williams moves past Heather Robben into eighth place on the career 3-point list with 138. … The Blue Dragons are 12-0 at home this season and have a 13-game home-court winning streak. … Journey Armstead had her sixth game with seven or more assists. … Morgan Browning scored in double figures for the ninth time in the last 11 games.