Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team looks to go 3-0 in the early going of the 2023-24 season on Tuesday night as the Allen Red Devils come to the Sports Arena.

Tipoff for the non-conference battle is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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 7:15 p.m. with Glen Grunwald (PBP) and Dan Naccarato (color) calling the action. The game will also be streamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network at 7:15 p.m.

The Blue Dragons inched two victories closer to becoming the first NJCAA men's basketball program with 1,900 all-time victories - Hutchinson is No. 1 in the NJCAA with 1,896 all-time wins - with a pair of wins on opening weekend at the BSN Sports Tip-Off Classic.

The Dragons won their 16th consecutive season opener with a 91-82 victory over North Idaho last Friday at the Sports Arena. Six Blue Dragons scored in double figures led by 14 points each from J.P. Ricks and Kamryn Thomas. The Dragons hit 12 3-pointers and forced 32 Cardinal turnovers.

Then on Saturday, the Dragon scored 57 points in the second half to pull away from No. 23 NEO for a 102-84 victory. Valentino Simon scored a team-high 19 points and Dre Weathers added a career-high 17 points to power the Blue Dragons to the victory.

Allen enters play on Tuesday night also 2-0 with a pair of victories over KCAC junior varsity teams.

First-year head coach Patrick Nee saw his Red Devils defeat the Ottawa University JV 86-68 last Tuesday and the Friends University JV 97-68 on Saturday in Iola.

The Red Devils have been balanced offensively through their first two games with six players averaged in double figures. Dante Jackson is averaging a team-high 17.0 points, while Grayson Ryan and Killian Spellman are averaging 16.0 points per game.

Tuesday's matchup will be the 54th all-time meeting between Hutchinson and Allen. The Blue Dragons own a 44-9 all-time series record with Hutchinson winning the last meeting 92-84 in the opening round of the 2020 Region VI Tournaments.

Allen dropped to Division II two seasons ago.

At halftime, the 2023 Jayhawk Conference champion Blue Dragon football team will be honored.