Sewardsaints.com
HUTCHINSON – The Seward Lady Saints were held to season-lows in points scored and shooting percentage in a 68-41 loss at No. 20 ranked Hutchinson in the Sports Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Seward (7-3, 2-2 KJCCC) and Hutchinson (8-2, 3-1) were tied 11-11 after the first quarter but the Blue Dragons outscored the Lady Saints 57-30 the rest of the way. It marks Seward's second consecutive loss, having scored 45 points or less in both after the 55-45 home loss to Coffeyville Tuesday.
The Lady Saints finished the game shooting 10-57 (17.5%) from the field, 5-22 (22.7%) from three and 16-17 (94.1%) from the free throw line.
Hutchinson shot 25-58 (43.1%) from the field, 7-21 (33.3%) from three and 11-20 (55.0%) from the free throw line.
Seward turned the ball over 18 times compared to Hutch's 12, with Hutch scoring 28 points off turnovers. Hutch outrebounded Seward 43-41 and outscored the Lady Saints 34-8 in the paint.
Avery Marchino finished with a game-high 22 points, her seventh 20-point game of the season. She also had five rebounds. Tyniah Smith had eight points and five rebounds off the bench while A'Neya Chambers chipped in five points and nine rebounds.
Hutchinson was led by Katie Duncan's 21 points while KaMyra Barber finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Chambers made two free throws with 3:40 to go in the second quarter to make it 21-17 Hutch, but Seward did not score again in the quarter. Hutch used a 6-0 run to close the half out and head to the locker room with a 27-17 advantage.
The third quarter had the widest margin with Hutchinson winning it 22-9. The Blue Dragons built a 16-point lead, 36-19 at 5:32, but Seward responded and cut the lead to 12 a minute later. The Blue Dragons used a 7-0 run and later a three with five seconds to go in the quarter to lead by 23, 49-26. Hutch led by as many as 30 with 12 seconds to go but a three at the end of regulation from Smith made it 68-41 final.
It marks Seward's eighth consecutive loss to Hutchinson.
The Lady Saints look to get back on track at Pratt on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
