Lady Dragons meet GC in Semis

Game 31 - Region VI Semifinals

No. 3 Hutchinson (30-0) vs. Garden City (18-13)

Date: Friday, March 7, 2014

Tipoff: 3 p.m.

Site: Charles Koch Arena, Wichita, KS (Capacity: 10,656)

Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9), 2:50 p.m. Glen Grunwald (PBP); Rusty Hilst (analyst)

Internet Video, Live Stats: Blue Dragon Sports Network, 6:50 p.m.

Twitter: @bluedragonsport

Tickets: $10 per day; $5 HCC students (with student ID)

LADY DRAGONS TO MEET GARDEN CITY IN REGION VI SEMIFINALS ON FRIDAY

HCC Sports Information

Thursday, March 6, 2014

The No. 3-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team bids for a fourth-straight berth in the Region VI championship game as the Lady Dragons take on a familiar Jayhawk West foe in the Garden City Broncbusters in Friday's semifinals.

Hutchinson (30-0) and Garden City (18-13) will meet at 3 p.m. on Friday in the second women's semifinal at Wichita State's Charles Koch Arena in Wichita. The game will be videostreamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network and broadcast live on Blue Dragon Flagship Station KHUT-FM (102.9) beginning at 2:50 p.m.

The Lady Dragons advanced to the semifinal round of the Region VI Tournament for the sixth consecutive year after a 70-53 quarterfinal victory over Independence on Wednesday. HCC shot 50 percent for the second-straight regional game, getting a game-high 17 points from sophomore Jamie Patrick and the 13th double-double of the season from freshman Kalani Purcell.

Loysha Morris and Shauqunna College scored 15 points each to lead Garden City to a 64-50 quarterfinal victory over upstart Dodge City on Wednesday.

Friday's semifinal matchup will be the third meeting of the season between the Lady Dragons and Broncbusters. HCC rolled to a 77-43 victory in the season's first meeting on Jan. 11 at the Sports Arena. The Lady Dragons then defeated Garden City 68-55 on Feb. 10 in Garden City.

HCC has won 13 of the last 15 meetings with Garden City.

Garden City won the only Region VI meeting with the Lady Dragons. That came in the 2003 Region VI quarterfinals in Salina.

Lady Dragon history in Region VI Tournament

The Lady Dragons are making their 37th appearance in the Region VI Tournament. Hutchinson is 48-32 all-time in the regional tournament.

Hutchinson has won four regional championships 1977, 2009, 2012 and 2013.

Last season, the Lady Dragons won the program's fourth regional title, defeating Cowley 70-43 in the championship game and advance all the way to the NJCAA Final Four, ultimately finishing third in the tournament.

Only three times have the Lady Dragons failed to appear in the regional tournament. Hutch failed to make the field in 1982 after a 14-11 season and in 1989 after a 17-12 season. Hutch didn't make the 2001 field because of an NJCAA probation.

The Lady Dragons have made five championship-game appearances and 3 in the last 4 years. HCC played Highland in 1977, Cowley County in 1978, Seward County in 2009, Cloud County in 2011, Independence in 2012 and Cowley last season.

HCC is now 28-9 in opening-round games, winning eight in a row. The Lady Dragons are 11-17 in quarterfinal games, 5-5 in semifinal games and 4-1 in championship games.

Before 2009, HCC went 21 seasons without a semifinal appearance.

Hutchinson and Garden City have met only once in Region VI Tournament competition. The Lady Dragons lost a 2003 quarterfinal meeting 61-47 in Salina.

Noting The Lady Dragons

+ The Lady Dragons enter the Region VI semifinals scoring 80.9 points per game offensively. HCC is shooting 47.8 percent overall, 34.9 percent from 3-point range and 65.1 percent from the free-throw line. HCC is averaging 4.80 3-pointers per game.

+ Defensively, HCC has led the Jayhawk Conference all season, leads the NJCAA in field-goal defense and is No. 5 in the country in scoring defense. The Lady Dragons allow 49.3 points per game. Opponents are shooting 29.9 percent overall and 25.0 percent from distance.

+ All-Jayhawk West first-team guard Jamie Patrick is HCC's leading scorer at 17.8 points per contest. Patrick is shooting 54.7 percent overall. She has a team-high 51 3-pointers and is shooting 38.1 percent 3-point range. Patrick is shooting a team-high 80.0 percent at the free-throw line. Patrick averages 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.91 steals per game.

+ Jayhawk West Freshman of the Year Kalani Purcell is averaging a double-double with 12.9 points and 10.2 rebounds in her freshman season. Purcell has 17 games of 10 or more rebounds and a team-high 13 double-doubles this season. Purcell is shooting 51.3 percent from the field. Now No. 2 on the single-season steals list with 112, Purcell also is second on the team with 113 assists and a team-high 43 blocks.

+ Sophomore point guard Jen'Von'Ta Hill, a second-team all-conference performer, is averaging 10.8 points per game. She is shooting 38.0 percent overall, 27.5 percent from 3-point range and 61.7 percent from the foul line. Hill led the Jayhawk West in assists this season. One of four HCC players ever with 300 or more career assists, Hill ranks No. 6 in single-season assists with 162 assists. She is second on the team in steals with 87.

+ Sophomore forward Kiarra Jones was the Jayhawk West leader in field-goal percentage at 56.8 percent. She is averaging 8.0 points and 6.0 rebounds.

+ Sophomore Briana Starks is averaging 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Before a 5 of 7 game vs. Allen last Saturday, Starks was shooting just 32 percent over her last six games.

+ Freshman Shakira Harding averages 7.9 points per game. Second on the team in made 3-pointers, Harding has improved her shooting performance from long range to 38.5 percent. She shoots 73.0 percent at the free-throw line.

+ Freshman Chelsea Dewey is averaging 6.9 points and 2.4 rebounds.

+ The Lady Dragons have out-rebounded all 30 opponents this season. HCC is averages 47.3 rebounds per game, including 15.3 offensive boards. HCC has 14 games of 50 or more rebounds this season, which includes a season-high 61 rebounds against Mesa. HCC is allowing 31.8 rebounds per game.

+ The Lady Dragons are averaging a league-best 19.8 assists per game.

+ Turnovers have been an issue for HCC so far this season. The Lady Dragons are turning the ball over 16.7 times per game, although just 11.3 turnovers over their last five games. HCC forces 21.9 turnovers per game. Shockingly, opponents haven't been able to take full advantage of the Lady Dragon miscues. Opponents have averaged only 10.6 points off HCC turnovers per game.

+ Hutchinson leads the Jayhawk West in team steals at 13.8 steals per game.

+ The Lady Dragons are third in the West in blocked shots at 3.7 rejections per game.

Scouting Garden City

+ First-year head coach Nick Salazar saw his Broncbusters lose 4 of 7 games before reeling off three-straight victories with regional wins over Labette and Dodge City

+ The Broncbusters' offense is averaging at 65.7 points per game through 31 games. Garden City is shooting 41.0 percent as a team and 29.5 percent from 3-point range. The Busters average a league-low 2.71 3-pointers. The Busters rank seventh in free-throw percentage at 59.1 percent.

+ Defensively, Garden City is allowing 63-0 points per game. Broncbuster opponents are shooting 36.3 percent overall from the floor and 30.8 percent from 3-point range. Garden City ranked third in scoring defense in the Jayhawk West this season.

+ Shauqunna Collins is Garden City's leading scorer in 2014 with a scoring average of 14.6 points per game. she is the only Garden City player scoring in double figures. Collins shoots 45.7 percent from the floor, 26.8 percent from 3-point range and 67.7 percent from the foul line. Collins has been to the free-throw line 192 times this season. Collins averages 5.9 rebounds and has a team-high 78 steals. She is seventh in the conference in assists at 3.4 assists per game.

+ Sandra Davis is Garden City's second-leading scorer at 9.2 points per game. She is shooting at 44.2 percent shooting from the floor. Davis has a team-high 7.2 rebounds per contest this season.

+ Loysha Morris averages 8.6 points. Morris has 72 steals this season, second on the team.

+ Allegria Chisom is scoring 7.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

+ Kate Inchun led the Jayhawk West in 3-point efficiency at 40.7 percent. Inchun, who averages 3.3 points per game, has a team-high 27 3-pointers.

+ Garden City pulls down an average of 40.2 rebounds and allow 37.6 boards per contest.

+ Garden City is averaging 19.6 turnovers per game. The Busters are forcing 18.7 opponent turnovers per contest.

+ The Busters are averaging 9.9 assists, 9.3 steals and 2.3 blocked shots per game.

Series History vs. Garden City

This will be the 78th meeting between Hutchinson and Garden City in a continuous series that began in 1976. It will be the third meeting this season.

The Lady Dragons own a 61-16 overall record, but had a six-game winning streak snapped last season. HCC has won 15 wins of the last 17 meetings. HCC is 35-3 against Garden City at the Sports Arena and 26-12 in Garden City. The Busters won the only Region VI meeting in 2003.

The 61 wins over Garden City are the second most against any HCC opponent.