HUTCH FACES BIG REMATCH WITH RED RAVENS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The first time the preseason 1-2 picks in the Jayhawk Conference met, the outcome was all Blue Dragons.

The second matchup of the season between the 12th-ranked Hutchinson Community College Men's Basketball team and Coffeyville is set for Saturday on the Red Ravens' home court.

Game time at Nellis Hall is set for 7 p.m. Saturday. The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and on sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) at 6:50 p.m. with Rusty Hilst (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (analysis) calling the action. The game will also be streamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network at 6:50 p.m.

When Hutch and Coffeyville met on November 21 at the Sports Arena, the Blue Dragons shot nearly 57 percent and dominated the Red Ravens 99-62. Minus a pair of key players, Coffeyville was limited to 27.3 percent shooting as Hutchinson raced out to a 24-point lead at halftime and never looked back. J.J. Rhymes had 21 points, while Devonte Bandoo and Rob Whitfield had 20 points each against the Red Ravens.

Now both teams appear to be building some momentum.

The Blue Dragons have won three straight and are 8-2 in their last 10 after Wednesday's 104-84 victory over Pratt at the Sports Arena. The Ravens have won four in a row and are 7-3 after an 87-76 victory on Wednesday at Dodge City.

Entering play on Wednesday, Barton leads the conference at 14-2. The Cougars are at Seward County on Saturday. Hutchinson is second at 13-3 and Coffeyville is third at 12-4. Those three teams are currently two games ahead of the remainder of the league.

Saturday's matchup features the Nos. 2 and 3 defensive teams in the Jayhawk Conference.

The Blue Dragons are third in the conference in scoring defense at 69.5 points per game. Coffeyville is just ahead in second at 69.2 points per game. The Dragons are tops in the KJCCC in field-goal defense at 37.7 percent and 3-point defense at 28.3 percent. Coffeyville is third in field-goal defense at 40.2 percent) and second in 3-point defense (28.4 percent).

Offensively, the Blue Dragons remain No. 2 in the Jayhawk in scoring average at 88.2 points per game. Hutchinson is shooting 47.9 percent overall, 37.4 percent from 3-point range and 68.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Rhymes and Bandoo remain in the Top 10 in the Jayhawk in scoring. Rhymes leads the league at 20.9 points per game. On Wednesday against Pratt, Rhymes became the 17th Blue Dragon in team history to reach the 1,000 career-point mark after a 28-point performance against the Beavers.

Coffeyville's offense averages 82.8 points while shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 32.0 percent from long range and 70.4 percent from the foul line.

Four players average in double figures for the Red Ravens led by Travis Washington's 13.7 points per game. He had 13 points against the Blue Dragons on November. 21.