Sole possession of first place was up for grabs when Dodge City men's basketball hosted Seward County to wrap up the first run through Jayhawk Conference play, and after another battle, the Conquistadors earned a 79-77 win over Seward County, taking sole possession of first place. 

The victory moved the Conqs to 13-5 on the season and 9-3 in KJCCC action. 

A pair of early three-pointers gave the Conqs a 6-0 advantage to open the game, but Seward County countered with the next six points, and that would set the tone of a back-and-forth contest all day. The lead continued to change hands several times throughout the first half, with the lead not growing any larger than six, which Conqs had early, and Seward County had multiple times in the first half. Up 34-28 with just under three minutes left in the first half, Seward County would not score again as the Conqs tallied four more points and had a chance to tie or take the lead, but trailed 34-32 at intermission. 

In the second half, a Rickey Loftin II three-pointer flipped the lead to the Conqs in the first minute of the half to lead 37-36, but the lead would change hands again several more times. The Saints pushed the lead to its largest of the game at eight, up 55-47 after a three-pointer with just under 12 minutes remaining but the Conqs pushed back, and with under nine minutes remaining, the lead was back in the Conqs hands at 58-57. The Conqs would stretch the lead out to seven multiple times in the second half, including 72-65 with 2:23 left, and then would lead 74-65 after a Brad Johnson dunk to own their largest lead of the game with 1:47 left. Over the next minute, Seward County tallied four free throws, making it a five-point game before Wesly Rosa netted two free throws to give the Conqs a 76-69 lead with 30 seconds left. Seward County drained a quick three, and after two free throws from Derrick Rivers the Saints drained another three to make it 78-75. The Conqs split a pair of free throws to lead 79-75, and Seward County raced down the floor for a quick layup to make it a two-point game. A Conqs turnover gave the ball back to Seward County, and they would miss a shot with the rebound going out of bounds with 3.3 seconds left, and then the Saints hoisted another opportunity as time expired and it was blocked by Rosa as the Conqs grabbed the 79-77 victory. 

Conqs shot 45% in the contest and held Seward County to just 36.8% shooting in the matchup. 

Rivers and Loftin II each tallied 18 points on the day, as Rivers was 7-10 from the free throw line, while Loftin II added nine rebounds. Brad Johnson chipped in 16 points with six rebounds and five assists, while Rosa flirted with another triple-double with 13 points, nine rebounds, and eight blocks as he was 4-4 from the floor and 5-6 from the free throw line. 

The second time through KJCCC play starts on Wednesday, January 21st, at home for the Conqs as they take on Barton at 5:30 pm.