Box Score

Butler Grizzlies BCC 0

Dodge City Conquistadors DC3 0

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Butler Grizzlies BCC	35	48	83
Dodge City Conquistadors DC3	35	51	86

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | January 31, 2021

Conquistadors Hold on Late Against Butler in Hard Fought Battle

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at Cloud County Community College

2/3/2021 | 8:00 PM

Conquistadors Hold on Late Against Butler in Hard Fought Battle

The Dodge City Conquistadors and the Butler Grizzlies went toe-to-toe and traded blows on a sunny Saturday afternoon in the Student Activity Center with the Conqs using several crucial defensive stops to help them secure a victory.

It's rare to see a game played at such a high level this early in the season, but it was apparent the extra practice time helped both teams get ready to compete in a matchup of two programs vying for a Jayhawk Conference title.

Fresh off a 33-point outburst against Neosho on Wednesday, sophomore Dhieu Deing couldn't get his shot to fall early but worked to get to the free throw line as he led all scorers with 10 first half points.

The half was neck and neck with neither team leading by more than five points. There were six ties and six lead changes with the final tie coming on a Butler three-pointer by Shae Mitchell with 10 seconds before intermission.

In a game that featured 15 ties, 14 lead changes, and 20 turnovers between the two teams, a tie score at halftime is less than a surprise.

The second half was coherent with the first as the magnitude of the game continued to build. The Grizzlies came out on the attack and took their largest lead at five points off a Shawn Hopkins layup with 14:49 to play.

The contest would stay close heading into the final 30 seconds as Deing made two clutch free throws to extend the Conquistador lead to three points with 26 seconds left. Freshman Roger McFarlane challenged a Treylon Payne three pointer with 14 seconds and another with 2 seconds remaining, both with a chance to tie.

"I'm proud of our team for finding a way to beat a very good Butler squad. I thought we had multiple winning plays down the stretch, so I was happy to see us finish a game like that," said Coach Williams. "We told our team that if we win the rebound war, we will win the game. We out-rebounded a tough Butler team 48-38 with 18 offensive rebounds. That's what helped us overcome a below average shooting night. If we can clean up some defensive assignments, this team can be special."

The Conquistadors were led by Walyn Napper's 27 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Napper scored 18 of his 27 in the second half, dazzling the fans on the livestream with a collection of finely maneuvered layups. Dhieu Deing also added 15 points and sophomore returner Quindarius Thomas added 14 points and seven rebounds, including three big second half threes. Freshman Roger McFarlane chipped in four points, but had nine tough rebounds to go with a pair of critical closeouts late to help the Conquistadors complete the effort.

Butler was led by Shawn Hopkins' 22 points and eight rebounds to go with Treylon Payne's 22 points. The pair came alive in the second half with Hopkins scoring 14 points in the half and Payne scoring 16.

Coach Williams' squad moves to 3-0 on the season and 2-0 in Jayhawk Conference play for the first time since the 2017-18 season.

The Conquistadors are back in action on Wednesday, February 3rd as they hit the road to Concordia, Kansas to take on Cloud County Community College. The conference double-header will begin with the women's game tipping off at 6:00 pm CST, with the men immediately following.

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