Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon men's basketball team will play host to the Cloud County Thunderbirds for HutchCC's annual Pink-Out game on Saturday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

The No. 15-ranked Blue Dragons (19-3, 14-2 Jayhawk Conference) and Thunderbirds (16-7, 11-6 Jayhawk Conference) will tip off at 4 p.m. with the Pink-Out ceremony at halftime.

The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) beginning at 3:45 p.m. with Glen Grunwald (play-by-play) and Dan Naccarato (color) calling the action. The game will be streamed live and free on the Blue Dragon Sports Network at 3:45 p.m.

The Blue Dragons go in search of their 56th 20-win season in program history. Blue Dragon men's basketball started in 1928-29, but didn't have its first 20-win season until the 1956-57 season. The first time Blue Dragon basketball played 20 games in a season was 1948-49. Only 12 times since that initial 20-win season (67 seasons) have the Dragons failed to reach 20 wins in a season.

The Dragons landed on the doorstep of a 20-win season with an impressive 109-78 victory over Pratt on Wednesday at Pratt. That 31-point win over the Beavers was the first 30-point margin of victory over the Beavers since 1999.

Kamryn Thomas tied a career high with 25 points to lead the Blue Dragons, who shot 65.0 percent in the first half and 56.1 percent for the game. Six Blue Dragons scored in double figures against the Beavers. J.P. Ricks had 17 points while Valentino Simon, Kernan Bundy and Landon Wagler had 12 points each and Edwin Daniel had 10 points.

Cloud County enters Saturday's game with the Blue Dragons as the No. 1 scoring defensive team in the Jayhawk and No. 2 in the NJCAA, allowing 60.5 points per game.

The Thunderbirds showed that defense in a 60-49 victory over Dodge City on Wednesday in Concordia. Cloud County limited the Conquistadors to 29.8 percent overall shooting with only 17 total field goals and forced 22 turnovers.

Offensively, Cheikh Sow led Cloud County with 18 points as the Thunderbirds shot 46.1 percent from the field with five turnovers.

The Blue Dragons won the first meeting with Cloud County this season, 82-73 on December 6 in Concordia. Simon and Thomas both reached the 20-point mark with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Simon had a double-double with 13 rebounds.

Saturday's matchup will be the 79th in series history between the Blue Dragons and Thunderbirds. The Dragons own a 57-21 all-time lead. Since Cloud County joined the KJCCC in 1996-97, the Dragons lead the series 38-17.