Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team returns from the holiday break battling for sole possession of first place in the Jayhawk Conference on Wednesday night.

The No. 11-ranked Blue Dragons (12-0) travel to play the No. 3 Butler Grizzlies (12-0) at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Power Plant in El Dorado.

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 5:15 p.m. with Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (color) calling the action. The game will be streamed free on Butler Creative TV.

Both Hutchinson and Butler have been off since December 9 - a 25-day break. The Blue Dragons defeated Cowley 72-43 at home in the final game of the first semester. Butler escaped at home with a 71-69 victory over No. 15 Dodge City on December 9.

Both teams are tied for the KJCCC lead at 6-0. Coffeyville is right behind at 5-1, while Dodge City, Garden City and Barton are 5-2.

The Blue Dragons look to snap a three-game losing streak to the Grizzlies. Hutchinson has also dropped 6 of the last 9 meetings with Butler. Hutchinson's last win at the Power Plant came on December 7, 2019, a 73-55 triumph.

Wednesday's game features the Jayhawk Conference's Nos 2 and 3 individual scorers, the league's No. 1 and 3 best defensive teams and two coaches ranked in the KJCCC's all-time Top 10 for coaching victories.

Hutchinson freshman Kiki Smith is third in the KJCCC in scoring average at 18.3 points per game. Smith is shooting 54.5 percent overall and 81.8 percent from the foul line - both of those marks rank No. 3 in the KJCCC. Sophomore Freddie Wallace leads the Grizzlies at 19.2 points per game. She was a third-team All-American and 2023 KJCCC Freshman of the Year.

The Blue Dragons are No. 3 in the KJCCC in defensive scoring average at 51.8 points per game allowed. The Dragons are No. 1 in 3-point defense at 24.8 percent. Butler is No. 1 at 49.1 points per game.

Now in his 17th season on the Blue Dragon bench, head coach John Ontjes has a record of 458-96. Ontjes is second in the KJCCC in all-time wins. Butler coach Mike Helmer has a 346 victories, which ranks eighth in KJCCC coaching history.