[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]

[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]

Photo courtesy of Joel Powers, HCC Sports Information

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Sophomore Inja Butina had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead the No. 2-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team to a 63-44 Jayhawk Conference victory over the Barton Cougars on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.

Hutchinson wins its 23rd consecutive game and improves to 25-1 overall and 21-1 in the Jayhawk Conference, which maintains its share of first place in the league.

Butina was 7 of 8 shooting from the field, including 3 of 3 from 3-point range to power the Blue Dragons past the Cougars. Lakin Preisner had 10 points, hitting a pair of big 3-pointers.

Hutchinson shot 50 percent from the field (26 of 52), going 6 of 11 from 3-point range.

Defensively, the Blue Dragons held Barton to 30.6 percent shooting (15 of 49), including 5 of 23 in the second half.