Tigers beat Hutchinson 87-71, clinch at least a share of the conference title

The No. 8-ranked Cowley College men's basketball team got off to a fast start against Hutchinson Community College and never looked back in an 87-71 win over the Blue Dragons on Wednesday inside W.S. Scott Auditorium. The victory assures the Tigers of at least a share of its first Jayhawk Conference title since 2021.

Cowley improves its record to 24-3 overall and 19-2 in the Jayhawk Conference, while Barton County (15-5) and Coffeyville (14-5) are second and third in the conference. One more win by the Tigers in the final three regular-season games will clinch the title outright for Cowley.

"Hutch was a big game, but we don't want just to be co-champs we want to be outright champs," Cowley head coach Donnie Jackson said. "I am proud of our guys. We still have a long way to go, but they have answered every challenge I have thrown at them."

On Wednesday, Cowley led 20-8 after a basket by Dallas Whitney with 13:30 remaining in the first half. The Tigers' lead would grow to as many as 16 points (37-21) before settling for a 37-25 halftime advantage.

Cowley's lead would go to 20 (49-29) after a three-pointer by Marcus Zeigler early in the second half, and the Tigers led by as many as 25 points (71-46) in the 16-point home win.

Cowley has won six games in a row and improved to 15-1 at home.

Sophomore Shamarrie Hugie surpassed the 20-point mark for the third game in a row, finishing with a game-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

"He has been in the gym a lot lately, and the basketball gods have been rewarding him," Jackson said.

Marcus Whitlock Jr. added 17 points, and freshman Emarquis Jones came up with a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds). Sophomore Avante Nichols scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half and added seven boards.

Khalil Arnold led four Hutchinson players in double figures with 15 points. The Blue Dragons (16-10) are in fifth place in the conference with a record of 12-8.

Cowley will attempt to win the conference title outright when they play at Garden City (14-11) on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Broncbusters are 9-10 in the conference and lost at Cowley by a score of 87-73 on January 8.

"We still have a lot of goals as a team," Jackson said. "Garden City is talented and is playing really good basketball. We will have our hands full and need to have a good day of preparation."

Box score:

Hutchinson (71): DJ Dudley 5-16 4-4 14, Bo Aldridge 2-8 1-1 5, Khalil Arnold 4-8 7-8 15, Bobby Cannon 4-9 0-0 8, Isaiah Jackson 4-6 2-3 10, Juvon Gamory 1-2 0-0 3, Mikhail Abdul-Hamid 3-9 2-3 11, Amari Davis 1-1 0-0 2, Kobe Smith 1-4 0-0 3. Totals: 25-63 16-19 71.

Cowley (87): Shamarrie Hugie 9-13 4-4 22, Emarquis Jones 5-8 2-2 13, Marcus Zeigler 2-6 1-2 7, Dallas Whitney 3-7 0-1 6, Marcus Whitlock 7-13 0-0 17, Avante Nichols 6-8 0-0 12, Winston Allen 0-0 2-2 2, CJ Majors 1-2 0-2 2, Kyden Thompson 2-3 2-2 6. Totals: 35-60 11-15 87.

Three-pointers: Hutchinson 5-23 (Abdul-Hamid 3-8, Smith 1-3, Gamory 1-1, Dudley 0-4, Cannon 0-3, Aldridge 0-2, Arnold 0-2), Cowley 6-16 (Whitlock 3-5, Zeigler 2-4, Jones 1-3, Hugie 0-1, Whitney 0-2, Nichols 0-1, Majors 0-1). Rebounds: Hutchinson 30 (Cannon 10), Cowley 34 (Jones 10). Assists: Hutchinson 9 (Dudley 6), Cowley 18 (Zeigler 9). Turnovers: Hutchinson 14, Cowley 14. Total fouls: Hutchinson 14, Cowley 16. Fouled out: none. Technicals: none.