Dodge City men's basketball took on their seventh opponent of the season that has been ranked or receiving votes at the time of the game as they faced off with #18 Barton. The Conquistadors would battle the Cougars throughout but fall 87-75. 
 
The loss drops the Conqs to 5-8 on the season and just 2-5 in KJCCC action heading into the holiday break. 
 
The Conqs fell behind 6-2 early over the first two and half minutes of the contest but would draw within one at 8-7 and then draw even at 10-10 on a three-pointer by Mynor Strong. The game would remain tight until just under 11 minutes left in the first half Barton grew the lead to eight the largest of the game at that point. Conqs stayed within striking distance cutting the Cougars lead to two but a three-pointer by Barton with just over one minute left in the first half made it a 10-point game at 44-34. The Conqs would trail 44-36 at intermission. 
 
In the second half the Conqs made several advances drawing to within three-points several times, but Barton seemingly had an answer every time and would fend off the Conq runs. Barton would extend their lead late stretching it out down to finish the contest as the Conqs fell 87-75. 
 
The loss saw the Conqs shoot just 31.3% from the floor while Barton countered that by shooting 47.7% from the field. Cougars would out rebound the Conqs 52-35 and both teams made frequent trips to the free throw line as the Conqs were 22-32 and Barton 17-26 from the charity stripe. 
 
Derrick Rivers led the Conqs matching his career-high with 21 points hitting five three-pointers and was 6-8 from the free throw line while adding five rebounds and three steals. Strong chipped in 20 points going 7-8 from the free throw line. Kyle Burns finished with 11 points and Daouda Cisse added 10 points and eight rebounds. 
 
The Conqs will be back in action when the calendar flips to 2025 as they will travel to Goodland to take on Fort Hays Tech Northwest on Saturday, January 4^th.