DRAGONS, COUGARS RENEW RIVALY WITH PLENTY AT STAKE

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team goes for a share of the Jayhawk Conference lead on Wednesday when the Blue Dragons renew their rivalry with the Barton Cougars.

Tipoff between the No. 14 Blue Dragons and No. 10 Cougars is at 7:30 p.m. at the Barton Gym in Great Bend.

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) beginning at 7:20 p.m. 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 at 7:20 p.m.

With five games remaining in the regular season, Barton (22-3, 18-3) owns a one-game lead over Hutchinson (21-4, 17-4) and Coffeyville (21-4, 17-4). If Hutchinson wins on Wednesday, the Dragons would move into a tie for first place and own the head-to-head tie-breaker with the Cougars. Barton and Coffeyville still have to meet for the second time on Feb. 27.

The Blue Dragons are on a four-game winning streak after Saturday's 79-68 victory at the Sports Arena over Butler. Over that winning streak, the Blue Dragons are averaging 85.8 points per game offensively shooting 47.1 percent overall with a plus-9 rebounding margin.

The Blue Dragons (87.1 ppg) and Cougars (86.4 ppg) are the Nos. 2 and 3 scoring offenses in the Jayhawk Conference entering Wednesday.

Four of the conference's Top 10 scorers will be featured as well. Hutchinson's J.J. Rhymes is No. 1 in scoring at 20.6 points per game and Devonte Bandoo has climbed to No. 3 at 15.9 points per game. Barton's Kawanise Wilkins is sixth in the conference at 15.1 points per game and Marvin Cannon is seventh at 15.0 points per game.

Defensively, Hutchinson is No. 3 in the conference in scoring defense at 70.8 points per game) Barton is eighth at 75.1 points per game.

Barton comes into the game with a three-game winning streak after a 97-92 shootout win over Dodge City. The Cougars are 10-2 in games decided by 10 points or less this season.

Four players scored in double figures and Hutchinson out-shot Barton 51.7-38.6 percent in the Blue Dragons' 81-73 victory over Barton on December 9 at the Sports Arena. Bandoo led the Blue Dragons with 19 points and Rhymes had 14. Robert Whitfield added 11 with three 3-pointers and Curtis Hollis came off the bench to score 10 points. Hutch's bench scored 35 points in the first game.

Barton was led by Noah Webster's 17 points.