HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College let a big lead slip away Wednesday night, falling 91-89 in overtime to Independence at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
The loss was the fifth straight for Hutchinson, which dropped to 10-11 overall and 5-10 in Jayhawk Conference play after leading most of the night. The Blue Dragons built a 17-point advantage late in the first half and still led by 15 midway through the second half.
Hutchinson controlled the opening stretch behind hot shooting and steady pressure, taking a 42-30 lead into halftime. The Blue Dragons pushed the margin to 42-25 late in the first half and kept Independence from finding a consistent rhythm early.
Daleron Thomas led Hutchinson with 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting, adding four assists. Lolo Rudolph finished with 18 points and seven assists, and Bobby Cannon added 17 points, knocking down two 3-pointers and going 7 for 7 at the free-throw line.
Chudier Dorar was a presence inside with 15 rebounds to go with seven points, and Anthony Alston scored 10 points. Hutchinson shot 46.9% from the field but left points at the line, going 21 of 31, and committed 15 turnovers.
Independence chipped away throughout the second half and finally pulled even in the final minute. Knox hit a jumper with 45 seconds left to tie it at 81, and after a scramble near the rim, Knox converted a tip-in with 19 seconds remaining to put the Pirates ahead 83-81.
Hutchinson answered quickly to force overtime. Thomas scored on a driving layup with eight seconds left, tying the game at 83-83 after Rudolph set him up for the finish.
In overtime, the teams traded baskets and neither side led by more than two until the closing seconds. Thomas made two free throws with 10 seconds left to tie it at 89-89.
Knox delivered the final blow with four-tenths of a second to play, knocking down the game-winning jumper from the left baseline to lift Independence.
Independence was led by David Wilson with 21 points and Sterling Knox with 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. The Blue Dragons return to the road Saturday to face Seward County in Liberal, with tipoff set for 4 p.m.