Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The defending Jayhawk West champion goes on the road for the first time this season to the defending Region VI Champion on Wednesday and it's now a NJCAA Top 25 national showdown.

The No. 11-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team (3-0, 2-0) heads to El Dorado to meet the No. 25 Butler Grizzlies (3-0, 2-0) at the Power Plant for a renewal of one of the Jayhawk Conference's classic rivalries.

The Blue Dragons head into the game after a wild last week that involved the largest come-from-behind victory in the John Ontjes era and a 42-point rout of Neosho County. Hutchinson moved up one spot in the national rankings this week to No. 11.

The Grizzlies are riding nine-game winning streak dating back to last season. So far in 2021, Butler has defeated the Tabor College JV, Colby and Dodge City by an average of 34.3 points per game. The Grizzlies jumped into the national rankings on Monday.

The top two defensive teams in the KJCCC will square off on Wednesday. The Blue Dragons rank No. 2 in the Jayhawk Conference, allowing 51.7 points per game. The only team better is Butler at 43.0 points per game allowed. Blue Dragon opponents are shooting 33.3 percent against them and Hutchinson is forcing 30.6 turnovers per game. Butler is allowing opponents to shoot 24.7 percent from the floor and are forcing 25.7 turnovers per contest.

Five Blue Dragons are currently averaging in double figures led by Lojong Gore's 14.0 points per game. K.K. Adams, who has a team-high nine 3-pointers is averaging 13.0 points per game.

Guard Skyla Knight leads Butler at 16.0 points per game. She is also averaging 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. The Grizzlies also return all-KJCCC center Tamara Nard, who is averaging 8.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

Last season, Hutchinson went to the Power Plant and defeated the Grizzlies 73-55. Tor'e Alford led the Blue Dragons had 15 points in last year's game. Nard had 17 for the Grizzlies.