FAST START PROPELS NO. 1 BLUE DRAGONS PAST INDY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

INDEPENDENCE – After scoring the game's first 16 points, the top-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team cruised to a Jayhawk Conference victory on Saturday at Independence.

Hailey Jackson and Katie Duncan both scored in double figures as the Blue Dragons defeated the Pirates 66-34 at the ICC Fieldhouse, the sixth-straight victory over Independence.

Hutchinson (10-0, 4-0 KJCCC) extended its winning streak to 47 games overall and won its 32nd-straight KJCCC victory. The Blue Dragons play host to Coffeyville at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Sports Arena. Independence fell to 1-8 overall and 0-3 in the KJCCC.

The Blue Dragons jumped out to a 16-0 lead over the first 5:09 of the game. The run was capped by a Jackson 3-pointer. Jackson had nine points during the run.

The closest Independence pulled within after that initial surge was 13 points late in the second quarter.

Jackson finished with 12 points and seven rebounds to lead the Blue Dragons. She was 5 of 12 shooting with a 3-pointer.

Duncan tied a season high with three 3-point goals in seven attempts and finished with 11 points and three rebounds.

Landon Forbes closed with nine points, five assists and a career-best four steals. Jada Pleasant was 4 of 4 from the floor and finished with eight points. Noelle Anthon and Zhane Singer had six points each.

The Blue Dragons shot 39.7 percent for the game (27 of 68), hitting 4 of 24 from 3-point range and 8 of 12 from the free-throw line. The Dragons out-rebounded Independence 42-34 and had only nine turnovers.

The Dragons held their third-straight opponent to less than 40 points, limiting the Pirates to 27.9 percent shooting (12 of 43), going 2 of 8 from 3-point range and 8 of 12 from the free-throw line. The Pirates turned the ball over 27 times.

Asmin Tanham had 15 points and eight rebounds to lead the Pirates.

After getting out to their 16-0 start, the Dragons upped the lead to 19-2 after Jackson scored in transition with 3:27 to play in the opening quarter. The Pirates scored four points in a row, but the Dragons closed a dominant first quarter on a Duncan jumper with 26 seconds to play for a 21-6 lead after the first quarter.

The Dragons had a pair of 17-point leads in the second quarter – first when Brynne Katcher scored with 9:38 to play for a 23-6 lead and when Jackson scored with 5:35 remaining for a 25-8 lead. Independence closed within 25-12 after a Tanham basket with 3:27 to play. Madi Denison scored a pair of buckets in the final 2:43 to give the Blue Dragons a 29-13 halftime lead. The Dragons were only 4 of 21 from the field in the second quarter.

Leading 33-17, the Blue Dragons finally took full control of the game with a 16-3 run over a span of 4:56 in the third quarter. Anthon grabbed an offensive rebound and scored that gave the Dragons a 49-20 lead with 2:27 to play in the third quarter. The Dragons lead 51-23 after three quarters.

Anthon's basket to start the fourth quarter gave Hutchinson its first 30-point lead at 53-23. The lead grew to a game-high 35 points at 64-29 on a Singer layup with 2:29 to go.

GAME NOTES – Kahlen Norris had a career-high six rebounds. … Madi Denison had a career-high-tying four steals. … Head coach John Ontjes earned his 492nd win at Hutchinson. … The Blue Dragons are now 42-15 all-time against Independence, including 12-4 at Independence. … This was the third time this season the Blue Dragons had 20 or more assists. … The Dragons had 16 steals, the fifth time they have had 15 or more steals in a game.