Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Sophomore point guard Whitney Brown scored a career-high 24 points to lead the No. 11-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team to a 75-59 victory over South Plains College on night one of the BSN Sports Tipoff Classic at the Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragons (2-0) will play Connors State at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. South Plains (0-2) will play Cloud County at 1 p.m.
Hutchinson dominated the first three quarters shooting 56.4 percent in opening leads as large as 30 points midway through the third quarter. The Dragons led 56-30 at the end of the third quarter.
Leading the way was Brown, who posted her first career 20-point game with a 24-point performance, adding two assists, two steals and a rebound. Brown hit 8 of 11 from the field and tied a career high with three 3-point goals.
Liva Hermane was the only other Blue Dragon in double figures with 14 points on 5 of 7 shooting. Hermane had a team-high five assists.
For the game, the Blue Dragon shot a season-high 51.0 percent (26 of 51), hitting 9 of 14 from 3-point range and 17 of 22 from the free-throw line. The Dragons were out-rebounded by South Plains 42-36.
Abril Ricart came off the bench to score eight points. Kaia Smith had seven points, while Nicolly Sanches and Dazlyn McClenon had five points each.
The Blue Dragon defense clamped down on South Plains, especially over the first three quarters. The Texans were held to 3 of 21 shooting (14.7 percent) after one quarter and 11 of 54 (20.3 percent) after three quarters.
For the game, South Plains shot 26.1 percent (18 of 69), going 4 of 27 from 3-point range and 19 of 22 from the free-throw line. Angelia Joao had 18 points and Daniella Gongo had 17 to lead the Texans.
Tied at 4-4, Brown hit a 3-pointer with 7:30 to play in the opening qurater15-3 run to close out the period. The Blue Dragons held South Plains scoreless for the final 5:19 of the quarter to led 19-7.
Leading 21-13, the Blue Dragons went on a 10-0 run, which was started by a Brown 3-pointer and capped by a Smith putback to build a 31-13 lead with 5:09 to play in the second quarters. The lead grew to 21 at 36-15 after a Brown pull-up jumper with 1:37 to play in the half. The Dragons led 36-17 at halftime.
Hutchinson opened the second half with a 13-2 run. Brown’s steal and layup with 5:01 to go in the third quarter gave the Dragons a game-high 30-point lead at 49-19.
The Dragons led 56-30 after three quarters. South Plains outscored Hutchinson 29-19 in the fourth quarter, hitting 14 of 16 free throws in the final quarter.
GAME NOTES – The Dragons are 5-2 all-time against South Plains.
