Hutchinson Is Back After Injury as Aztecs Win, Qualify for Finals

San Diego State All-American forward Tina Hutchinson returned to action Friday from a knee injury and led the Aztec women’s basketball team to a 112-37 victory over Hardin-Simmons in the opening round of the Kangaroos Shoot-Out at Peterson Gym.

Hutchinson, who injured her knee in a Dec. 15 loss to Southern Illinois, came off the bench to hit 12-of-14 attempts from the field and score 26 points to help the 12th-ranked Aztecs improve their record to 11-2.

Tonight, the Aztecs meet fifth-ranked Northeast Louisiana in the 8:05 p.m. championship game. Northeast Louisiana was a 77-56 winner over Texas-San Antonio in Friday’ first game.

“I was just kind of going with the flow tonight,” Hutchinson said. “Mr. (Coach Earnest) Riggins wouldn’t let me kick it into high gear.

“At halftime, I asked him if I could kick it into high gear, but he said to just take it easy.”

Certainly, with the way the game was going, there was no reason for Hutchinson to push things.

Hutchinson entered the game with the Aztecs leading, 20-6, nine minutes into the first half and quickly reminded the 701 fans in Peterson Gym what she could do for San Diego State.

Taking a pass at the top of the key, Hutchinson dribbled right and threw up a 17-footer for two points.

“I was a little afraid (because of the knee) the first time I went up for that shot,” Hutchinson said. “But after that first basket, I was much more relaxed.”

About the only thing that didn’t go right for the Aztec sophomore the rest of the evening, was that her string of 32 consecutive free throws was snapped midway through the first half.

“That was the only thing I was mad at,” said Hutchinson, who iced her knee after the contest, admitting that the knee “is a little sore right now.”

In Friday night’s first game, Northeast Louisiana (10-0) looked like anything but the nation’s fifth-ranked team for the first 20 minutes but reversed its play to easy defeat Texas-San Antonio.

In the first half, the Indians shot just 25% from the floor (8 for 32) and went to the locker room tied, 27-27, after blowing a 14-4 lead.

“We just weren’t mentally ready to play the kind of basketball we like to play,” Northeast Coach Linda Harper said. “Finally, we started playing tougher defense and began pushing the ball up the court.”

Center Lisa Ingram, who injured her left wrist in a victory over Cal State Fullerton last Wednesday and played with cast Friday, sparked Northeast to a 31-13 surge over the first 15 minutes of the second half.

“Lisa’s the type of player who can score and put us ahead in a hurry,” Harper said. “The wrist bothered her some but we’re hopeful she’ll be able to play (tonight).”

Freshman Chana Perry combined with Ingram to help the Indians take control. Perry led all scorers with 19 and all rebounders with 17. She showed some of the reasons she was considered as the nation’s top high school player a year ago.

Tonight, Perry will test her skill against another high school player of the year in Hutchinson, who won that honor in 1983.