It was a top 20 battle on Wednesday for the #10 Dodge City men's basketball team as they took on the e#19 Butler Grizzlies and picked up their largest margin of victory against Butler since 2013 claiming the 74-63 win. 

The Conqs with the win moves to 10-1 on the season and 5-0 in KJCCC action stretching their win streak to 8-straight for the longest win streak for the program since the 2013-14 season. Conqs are one of only two Conference teams that remain unbeaten in Jayhawk Conference action this season. 

A pair of three-pointers early gave the Conqs the 8-5 advantage early in the first three and half minutes of the contest but the first half would be a see-saw affair as they lead changed hands multiple times and by halftime, Butler had worked to a 39-31 advantage. Conqs would battle back in the second half tying the game up on a BJ Freeman three-pointer with 13:52 left in the game and the run would continue by the Conqs as Freeman led the charge to push the game in the favor of the Conqs and grow the lead to double figures with over seven minutes remaining. Conqs would utilize that double-digit lead to hold Butler at bay and secure the 74-63 victory behind a 43-24 second half. 

Conqs were efficient on offense shooting 53.1% from the floor and over 65% in the second half, while the defense once again held a Conference foe to under 70 points and held the Grizzlies to just 32.4% shooting. 

Freeman led the Conqs in just his fourth start of his career as he recorded 23 points on 10-12 shooting, scoring 19 of the points in the second half while adding eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks. Keandre Bowles returned to the floor for the Conqs and made a big impact finishing with 12 points off the bench going 8-9 from the charity stripe, while Oumar Koureissi tallied 11 points and grabbed four rebounds. 

The tough week continues on Saturday for the Conqs when they travel to #4 Hutchinson on Saturday, December 11th for a 7:30 pm tipoff in what will be a battle for first place in the KJCCC.