STEVE CARPENTER - Hutchinson CC Sports Information
COLBY, Kan. - The No. 10-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team surrendered 10 points to the Colby Trojans in the first 4 minutes, 41 seconds of Sunday's Jayhawk West game at the Colby Community Building.
Over the final 35:19, Hutchinson gave up just 26 more points to the Trojans.
Hutchinson held Colby to less than 20 percent shooting and shot its second-highest overall percentage of the season in a 77-36 victory over the Trojans.
The Blue Dragons improve to 19-2 overall and 11-1 in the Jayhawk West, remaining one game behind Seward County for first place in the league. Hutchinson plays host to Barton on Wednesday before traveling to Seward County on Saturday. Colby falls to 14-7 and 5-7.
Sophomore Abby Ogle powered the Blue Dragons' first-half surge by scoring 22 of her game-high 25 points in the first half. She had 13 points in the opening quarter, hitting 9 of 10 shots, including two 2-pointers and was 5 of 6 from the foul line.
Hutchinson trailed 10-9 with 5:19 remaining in the first quarter. Ogle had a steal and layup to give Hutchinson the lead for good. Ogle's play helped the Blue dragons to 13 unanswered points to lead 22-10 with 1:41 left. The Dragons ended that run to 14-3 to close the quarter and lead 27-14 and finished out the half on a 38-7 run to lead 47-17 at halftime.
The Blue Dragons defense shut Colby down after its initial 10-point start. Hutch limited the Trojans to 7 of 50 shooting (14.0 percent) over the final 35 minutes of the game. Colby was just 1 of 10 in a three-point second quarter and 2 of 17 in a seven-point fourth quarters.
Colby finished the game shooting only 18.2 percent (10 of 55) for the game, going 4 of 19 from 3-point range and the Trojans had 16 turnovers. The Blue Dragons held Colby 30 points under its 66-point season scoring average.
Hutchinson produced its second-highest shot percentage of the season (59.2 percent) taking the fewest shot attempts of the season (29 of 49). The Dragons were 18 of 26 shooting (69.2 percent).
Sophomore Lauryn Mapusua scored in double figures for the fifth time in seven games, finishing with 14 points. She tied a career high for the fourth time with three 3-point goals, hitting 3 of 5 from distance.
Freshman Tor'e Alford, sophomore Makayla Vannett, freshman Nafatoumata Haidara and sophomore Brooklyn Betham all had scored eight points each.
The Blue Dragons had a 36-33 rebounding advantage despite giving up 16 offensive rebounds. Sophomore Sasha Francis had a team-high eight rebounds. Alford had five assists and Ogle had five steals.
Aerihna Afoa hit three 3-point goals and finished with a team-high 13 points for Colby. Afiya Vincent had six points and a game-high 13 rebounds for the Trojans.
The Blue Dragons did suffer through a tough offensive third quarter. Held to only seven points in the third stanza, that was the first time this season the Blue Dragons scored in single digits in any single quarter this season, shooting only 2 of 9.
The Dragons responded, though, with a 23-point fourth quarter where they shot 9 of 14 (64.3 percent).
The Blue Dragons won their fifth game in a row and their 50th all-time win over Colby in 64 total games played.
GAME NOTES - The 36 points allowed was the fourth fewest scored by Colby in series history. … The Blue Dragons are 21-7 all-time against Colby in the Community Building. … This was Blue Dragon all-time win no. 995. … With two 3-pointers on Sunday, Makayla Vannett moved past Joell Meyer (1992-94) into fourth place on the Blue Dragon career 3-point list with 161. … With five steals on Sunday, Abby Ogle moves past Alysse Barlow (2010-12) into third place on the career steals list with 182. … This was the sixth time this season to hold an opponent to less than 20 percent shooting. Ogle had her 12th-straight game scoring in double figures and he had her sixth of the season and 14th career game with five or more steals.