The Pratt Community College men's basketball team traveled an hour down KS 61 highway on January 25 for a matchup against the Hutch Blue Dragons. Pratt entered the night on a three-game winning streak while the Blue Dragons came into the game with back-to-back wins. Both teams met back on November 22 in the Beaver Dome with Hutchinson taking game one 120-118.
Hutchinson jumped out to an early ten-point lead 14-4 with 16:45 left in the half. The Beavers slowly started chipping away at the lead and cut the game to within five points 23-28 with 11:26 left. At the 4:12 mark of the first half Pratt had cut it down to three points 46-43. The Blue Dragons would lead by one point 56-57 at half. Pratt never tied the game or had a lead in the first half of play.
That all changed in the first 11 seconds of the second half when Pratt went up 58-57. By the first media timeout of the half Pratt lead by five 70-65. The Blue Dragons managed to take the lead back by two points 77-75 with 13:09 left. Hutch held that lead until the 6:55 mark when the Beavers took a one-point lead 91-90. At the last media timeout of the half Pratt lead 100-94. Pratt held the lead the rest of the half until the Blue Dragons tied the game 111-111 off a three-point basket with 3 seconds left.
Overtime was competitive as the game was tied two times with five lead changes through the first three minutes. Pratt took their final lead of the game with 1:07 remaining in the period. The Beavers won the game 130-126 with the help of five out of six made free throws in the last 17 seconds. Tonight's game is the most combined points scored in a conference matchup thus far this season.
Both Sterling Young and Quintin Metcalf had big nights both scoring 28 points. DJ Bailey came off the bench with 21 points while Chidibere Obichere finished with 18 points. Qai Kellman had 16 points while Aviel Palmer had his second game in double digits with 11. Pratt managed the upset while being outrebounded 51-37 and turning the ball over 23 times.
Pratt will continue their road trip on Saturday, January 28 at Butler Community College. Tip is set for 4:00 pm.