Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team has a most important week ahead. The Blue Dragons have two nationally ranked opponents on their schedule as they look to say right in the mix of the 2024 Jayhawk Conference title chase.

The No. 15-ranked Blue Dragons (20-3, 15-2 KJCCC) travels to meet No. 9 Cowley (21-3, 16-2) at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Scott Auditorium in Arkansas City. The Blue Dragons then play host to No. 22 Butler at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Wednesday's game will tipoff at 7:30 p.m. Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) will broadcast the game over the air with Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (color) calling the action. The game will be streamed live and free on the Blue Dragon Sports Network at 7:15 p.m.

Down to seven games remaining in the regular season, the Blue Dragons have an opportunity to jump into second place in the Jayhawk Conference. Hutchinson trailed No. 2 Barton by a single game in the conference standings and trails second-place Cowley by 0.5 game.

The Blue Dragons look to avenge their first conference loss of the season when Cowley came to the Sports Arena and defeated the Blue Dragons 83-70.

Hutchinson looks to extend its current winning streak to seven games by winning a game in Arkansas City for the first time since 2017 - a Scott Auditorium losing streak of six games.

The Blue Dragons won their sixth in a row - which matches a season's best - with a 75-56 victory on Saturday at the Sports Arena over Cloud County. Dallas Whitney came off the bench to score a game-high 19 points. The Dragons shot 57.7 percent against the No. 1 defensive team in the KJCCC to build a 42-22 lead. the Blue Dragons held Cloud County to 27.6 percent shooting in the victory.

Over their current six-game win streak, the Blue Dragons are outscoring opponents 94.0-68.4. The Dragons have shot 52.4 percent overall and 40.8 percent from 3-point range, while holding opponents to 38.2 percent overall and are forcing 19.9 turnovers per game.

Cowley has won two games in a row and 6 of the last 7 - that lone loss was to then-No. 3 Barton on Feb. 3. The Tigers rolled to an 85-59 road win on Saturday over Dodge City. Jeff Nwankwo had 26 points to pace the Tigers against Dodge City.

In Hutchinson's first meeting with Cowley on December 9 at the Sports Arena, the Blue Dragons had one of their worst offensive outings of the season, shooting just 32.9 percent. The Dragons were a frigid 25.8 percent in the opening half as Cowley led 35-30 at halftime.