HUTCHINSON, Kan. — For the first time this season, the Blue Dragons (7-0, 1-0) were held under 100 points.
The Dragons entered conference play against Independence (2-5, 0-1) averaging 121 points per game.
Hutchinson was without starter Ra'Sean Frederick (7.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg).
Indy took advantage of a starting lineup that was without its 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman guard with three players 6-foot-6 or taller.
The Pirates got an especially big day from Johan Nziemi, 34 points and nine rebounds. Nziemi and the Pirates pulled off highlight-reel dunk after highlight-reel dunk on their way to building a 15-point lead in the first five minutes.
Indy finished with 68 points in the paint.
The Dragons got another big day from Aaron Franklin, who finished with 36 points and 10 rebounds.
Franklin was one of four Dragons to reach double digits.
Kernan Bundy and Aaron Potter each added 13, while Jayden Garrison scored 11.
Potter's play off the bench helped spark some momentum in the first half after the Dragons fell behind. A Potter three with under a minute to go before the break pulled Hutchinson within 47-44.
The lead changed just once in the first half. Hutchinson scored within the first 39 seconds, then it was all Indy until Hutchinson inched within 49-46 at halftime.
The teams battled back and forth in the second half. The score was tied five times and the lead changed six times overall.
Much like the first half, Hutchinson used the waning moments of the second half to inch away. A Bundy three that banked off the window with 2:18 to play put Hutchinson up 95-90.
One minute later, Hutchinson forced Indy into its second 10-second backcourt violation of the game. The Pirates turned the ball over 24 times.
Hanging onto a 97-94 lead with less than 10 seconds to go, Hutchinson had to defend against not one, but two last-second three-point attempts that would have tied the game.
Two of Tavis Groomes three-point attempts on the night came within seconds of each other just before time expired. His first miss came back out to the corner on an offensive rebound, but his second attempt also failed to hit the mark.
Bundy was fouled on the rebound with 0.7 second left and hit both bonus free throws.
FINAL: Hutchinson 99 Independence 94
Independence failed to connect on a three-ball all night (0-10).
The Pirates still shot 51.5% overall to the Dragons 44.8%.
Hutchinson connected on 13 of 40 three-point attempts (32.5%).
The Dragons travel to Concordia Saturday to face Cloud County.
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