WILL DRAGONS AND GRIZZLIES TOP DRAMA IN FIRST MEETING?

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

What will the Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team and the Butler Grizzlies do for an encore on Saturday at the Sports Arena?

Two months ago the Blue Dragons pulled off the biggest comeback in program history, rallying from 26 points down to defeat the Grizzlies 82-81 on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by J.J Rhymes.

Meeting No. 2 is at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday on Quarterback Club Hall of Fame Night.

The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and on sister stations KWBW-AM and FM (1450/98.5) at 7:20 with Glen Grunwald (play-by-play) and Rusty Hilst (analysis) calling the action. The game will also be streamed on the Blue Dragon Sports Network (which can be found at www.bluedragonsports.com) at 7:20 p.m.

Throughout the first 187 meetings between the storied Blue Dragon/Grizzly series have produced many memorable, heart-stopping battles. Game No. 188, played on December 6 at the Power Plant in El Dorado, may have topped them all.

The Blue Dragons had only two leads on that night – 2-0 and when the clock struck all zeros at the final buzzer.

In between those points in time, the then-sixth-ranked Blue Dragons fell behind by as many as 26 points and then embarked on the largest comeback in program history.

Rhymes scored a career-high 41 points to lead the comeback. Trailing 81-79 with 6.9 seconds to play, Butler missed two free throws that would have iced the win. Instead the Dragons pushed the ball up the floor and Rhymes shot a guarded 3-pointer from 23 feet. The ball hit the front rim twice before falling in to complete the historic comeback.

Rivalry aside Saturday is a big game for the Blue Dragons after they climbed back within one game of first place in the Jayhawk Conference. Since the loss to Coffeyville on Jan. 24, the Dragons have defeated Neosho County, Colby and Garden City to pull within one game of first-place Barton. Hutch remains tied with Coffeyville for second place.

The Dragons and Cougars will meet Wednesday in Great Bend.

Butler is 5-5 in its last 10 games, but has won three games in a row with victories over Allen, Independence and Dodge City. Before the current win streak, the Grizzlies lost four games in a row.

The Grizzlies are capable of scoring a lot of points fast. Averaging better than 85 points per game, Butler has four 100-point games, including games of 130, 137 and 128 points this season.

Butler utilizes the 3-point shot raking third in 3-point percentage at 36.6 percent and fifth in makes at 7.4 per game.

For most of the year, the Blue Dragons have been a good 3-point defense team, ranking in the top two of the KJCCC in 3-point defense. Last week, the Dragons allowed 18 3-pointers to Neosho County and nine to Luan Deng. On Wednesday, Garden City had 14 3-pointers, seven from Kendale Hampton.

At halftime, the Quarterback Club Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place with Richard Morsden (men's basketball), Thad Weber (baseball), Tim Olson (baseball) and Grady Pauls (golf) behind honored.