LIBERAL, Kan. – Trailing in the final minute of a game for the first time this season, the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team answered the challenge and survived a major threat by No. 6 Seward County and defeated the Saints 62-61 on Wednesday at the Greenhouse.
Trailing 61-60, sophomore Kalani Purcell was fouled while battling for an offensive rebound with 3.9 seconds to play in the game. Purcell, who posted her 15th double-double of the season with 21 points and 16 rebounds, knocked down two free throws to give HCC a one-point lead. The Dragons then had to hold their breath as Seward County’s Rebekah Hatchard drove the length of the floor and got a good shot off that just missed the mark at the buzzer.
Hutchinson improves to 22-0 overall and 8-0 in the Jayhawk West. HCC extends its winning streak over the Saints to 11 and its Jayhawk West winning streak to 28.
Purcell entered the Blue Dragons’ career Top 10 scoring list on Wednesday. She now has 887 career points.
Purcell was one of three players to have a double-double for Hutchinson against Seward County.
Freshman Cynthia Petke posted her ninth double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Clemence LeFebvre had her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Sydney Benoit was also in double figures with 11 points.
Hutchinson shot 40.0 percent for the game (24 of 60), including 4 of 17 from 3-point range. HCC hit 10 of 13 free throws. The Blue Dragons doubled-up Seward County 52-26 in rebounding, but had to overcome 21 turnovers.
Davis finished with a team-high 19 points for the Saints (18-2, 6-1). Axelle Bernard had 13 points with three 3-pointers. Galindo had 12 points, knocking down three 3-pointers. Tamara Seda, Seward County’s leading scorer, was held to two points and eight rebounds on 1 of 7 shooting.
The Saints shot 35.4 percent (23 of 65). They hit 8 of 21 from 3-point range and 7 of 8 from the foul line. Seward committed only 10 turnovers.
The game had four lead changes and three ties in the first five minutes of the game. Tied at 11-all, HCC ran off seven unanswered points to lead 18-11 after LeFebvre hit 1 of 2 free throws with 9:55 to go in the half. The Dragon run ballooned to 18-2 and HCC led 29-13 after a Purcell layup with 4:54 to play in the half.
Trailing 31-17, a Galindo 3-pointer with 3:03 remaining started a run of seven straight scoring possessions by the Saints. Seward County scored 11 of the game’s next 15 points and pulled within 33-26 in the final minute of the half. Benoit gave Hutch a needed boost before halftime, knocking down a jumper with 19 seconds left and gave HCC a 35-26 halftime lead.
Seward County opened the second half on a 9-2 run to pull within 37-35 with 16:04 to play in the game. The Dragons immediately answered with an 11-2 run to go up 48-37 with 13:03 to play after a LeFebvre bucket. Alyx Bloom then drained a 3-pointer to give Hutch its largest lead of the second half at 53-41 with 11:29 to go.
HCC then missed six consecutive shots and turned the ball over five times in its 5 minute, 49 second scoring drought. The Saints tied the game at 53 on a Galindo three-point play and then led 56-53 on a Galindo 3-point goal with 5:57 remaining.
The lead changed hands six times in the final 6 minutes. HCC led 60-59 after a Purcell 15-foot jumper with 1:13 to play. HCC got a stop, but couldn’t convert on the offensive end. Seward’s Kyndal Davis hit two free throws with 30.1 seconds to play to give the Saints a 60-59 lead.
The Blue Dragons got two shots off in the final 11 seconds to try and take the lead. After a Bloom scoop shot came up short on the second attempt, Purcell grabbed the loose ball and was fouled with 3.9 seconds to play. The two subsequent free throws were her only attempts from the line in the game.
Hutchinson will close out its two-game road trip at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at Dodge City. The game will be played at the Dodge City Civic Center.
GAME NOTES – Hutchinson is now 34-9 against nationally ranked teams under head coach John Ontjes. … HCC now 42-39 all-time against Seward County. … Kalani Purcell has 33 career double-doubles. … Seward County is only the fifth opponent to score at least 60 points against HCC. … HCC has held 21 opponents to less than 40 percent shooting. … Cynthia Petke tied a season high with five assists. … Kalani Purcell had a season high with four blocked shots.