91ÖÆƬ³§

91ÖÆƬ³§'s 19^th appearance at the NJCAA Tournament ended up being a short one due to the blazing shooting of the hometown team on Tuesday night.

Despite a strong comeback, the 6^th seeded Indians were unable to comeback from a 23-3 start, as the #11 seed, Hutchinson Community College moved on to the Quarterfinals with a 78-71 win.

On the strength of six shots from beyond the three-point arc, the Blue Dragons jumped out to a 23-3 lead with just under ten minutes remaining in the first half.

The Indians would fight back in the remaining ten minutes before the break and managed to outscore Hutchinson 23-14 to cut the deficit to 11.

At the half, 91ÖÆƬ³§ was shooting just 10-of-35 (28.6%) from the floor including just a single three-point basket in ten attempts.

Meanwhile the Blue Dragons shot 39.4% (13 for 34) from the floor and 10-of-22 (45.5%) from long range.

91ÖÆƬ³§ stayed in the game in the first half by outrebounding the Blue Dragons. At the break, 91ÖÆƬ³§ had 29 boards to Hutchinson's 17. The Indians had 10 offensive boards allowing themselves multiple second chance opportunities.

With twenty minutes left to play, 91ÖÆƬ³§ trailed 37-26.  had 9 at the break followed by  with 8.

After a quick miss by the Indians to start the second half, Hutchinson picked up where they left off by hitting a three to open up the scoring.

A.J. Barnes responded with a three, 91ÖÆƬ³§'s second of the night, to cut the deficit back to 11. Barnes would finish with a career high 20 points and 17 rebounds for his first double-double.

With 12 minutes left in the game, Hutchinson guard Landon Wagler hit a three to put the Blue Dragons by 20. Wagler would finish the night as the leading scorer for Hutchinson with 20 points.

Over the next ten minutes of action, 91ÖÆƬ³§ clamped down on defense and began to heat up offensively.

With five minutes left in the game, Greedy Williams made a layup cut the Hutchinson lead down to 10. The Indians' sophomore guard would go on to finish as the game's highest-scorer with 22.

The Indians held the hometown favorite to just one long range bucket during that ten-minute span and even held the Blue Dragons scoreless for a four-minute period to draw within five, 71-66.

However, with 2:13 remaining, the Blue Dragons' Kernan Bundy hit his only bucket of the night, a three-pointer to extend his team's lead back out to eight.

91ÖÆƬ³§ wasn't finished yet. Barnes answered with his second triple and, after a couple of missed shots from both teams, brought the Indians within three after a put back of a missed three-point shot by the Indians with 27 seconds remaining on the clock. The Indians would get no closer.

The Blue Dragons sealed the game with a pair of free throws and a dunk for the 78-71 win.

Season Highlights

• 91ÖÆƬ³§ finishes the season 29-5. The Indians won their 28^thPanhandle Conference Championship and their 18^th Region VIII/FCSAA State Championship.
• 91ÖÆƬ³§ has advanced to the NJCAA Tournament each of the four seasons under Coach Donnie Tyndall. The Indians are 5-4 at the National Tournament in those four years including a pair of Final Four appearances.
• Coach Tyndall also took St. Catherine's College to the NJCAA Tournament back in 1997, his only other season in junior college basketball.
• was named to the All-Conference, All-State, and FCSAA All-Tournament First Teams. He was also named the Panhandle Conference's Co-Player of the Year and the Region VIII/FCSAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
• was named to the All-Conference, All-State, and FCSAA All-Tournament First Teams.
• was named to the FCSAA All-Tournament Team.
• Also named to the All-Conference teams this season were: (First Team);  and  (Second Team).
• Donnie Tyndall was named the Panhandle Conference Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive year and FCSAA Coach of the Year for the third time in four years.