(BY STEVE CARPENTER)
(HUTCHINSON CC SPORTS INFORMATION)

Four impressive victories in the first two weeks of the 2019-20 season have the Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team climbing the NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Rankings.

The Blue Dragons jumped three spots in the first regular-season rankings released on Monday to No. 7. Hutchinson started the season ranked No. 10 in the preseason rankings.

Hutchinson started the season on the road for only the second time in 20 seasons and picked up victories over Eastern Oklahoma State and Midland. The Blue Dragons opened at the Sports Arena in Games 3 and 4 and devoured Murray State and Labette to move to 4-0 to start the season.

The Blue Dragons are the highest ranked Jayhawk Conference team in the NJCAA poll. Coffeyville is No. 23 and Seward County is No. 24. Independence and Cowley are both receiving votes.

Defending national champion Vincennes University (5-0) received 13 of 16 first-place votes. Ranger College earned two first-place votes and is No. 2. Florida SouthWestern State is No. 3, Indian Hills is No. 4 and Chipola is No. 5.

The Blue Dragons also had a first-place vote.

Hutchinson has been ranked in 86 of the last 90 ranking period.

Information Box

NJCAA MEN’S DIVISION I BASKETBALL RANKINGS
	Record	Points	Last poll
1. Vincennes (13) 2. Ranger (2) 3. Florida SouthWestern State 4. Indian Hills 5. Chipola 6. South Plains 7. Hutchinson (1) 8. Tallahassee 9. Casper 10. Pearl River 11. USC Salkehatchie 12. Moberly Area 13. Panola 14. Southeastern 15. Daytona State 16. Western Texas 17. Otero 18. New Mexico 19. Shelton State 20. John A. Logan 21. Salt Lake 22. Northwest Florida State 23. Coffeyville 24. Seward County 25. Harcum	5-0 4-0 4-0 4-0 4-0 4-0 4-0 3-0 4-0 2-0 4-0 4-1 4-0 4-0 4-1 5-0 119 112 105 95 91 78 66 61 40	396 384 367 341 332 321 306 253 225 215 204 180 158 142 135 125 119 112 105 95 91 78 66 61 19	1 2 3 6 7 8 10 16 22 11 18 9 NR NR 12 NR NR RV RV 4 13 NR 17 NR 19
Others Receiving Votes: Clarendon (4-1, 26.0); Mineral Area (4-0, 25.0); Independence (4-0, 24.9); Odessa (4-2, 22.0); Olney Central (5-0, 21.0); State Fair (3-2, 20.0: Eastern Florida State (1-3, 19.0); East Mississippi (2-0, 15.0); Holmes (1-1, 15.0); Caldwell Tech (5-0, 11.0); Eastern Arizona (5-0, 11.0); Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa (5-0, 11.0); Tyler (2.0, 11.0); Pensacola State (5-0, 10.0); Kilgore (2-1, 9.0); Miami Dade (4-0, 9.0); Motlow State (4-1, 9.0); LSU-Eunice (3-0, 8.0); Arizona Western (4-2, 7.0); Connors State (4-0, 7.0); Triton (3-0, 7.0); Walters State (2-1, 7.0); Cowley (4-1, 6.0); Monroe College (2-0, 5.0); Gulf Coast State (2-0, 4.0); Western Wyoming (4-0, 3.0); Andrew (2-0, 2.0); Lincoln Trail (4-0, 2.0); Collin County (4-0, 1.0); Northeastern (2-0, 1.0); Polk State (4-0, 1.0).