The first loss of the 2019-20 season on Saturday cost the Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team four spots in the latest NJCAA Men's Division I Basketball Rankings, which were released on Monday.
Unranked Butler defeated the Blue Dragons 73-63 on Saturday in El Dorado to snap Hutchinson's 11-game winning streak to start the season. Now 11-1, the Blue Dragons drop to No. 6. Before the loss, the Blue Dragons had spent the previous two weeks at No. 2.
Ranger is now the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation at 15-0. Defending national champion Vincennes is No. 1 at 11-1, followed by Pearl River (7-0, Otero (14-0) and Florida SouthWestern State (11-1).
The Cowley Tigers are now the next highest ranked Jayhawk Conference team at No. 17. Barton, Butler and Colby are all receiving votes. Jayhawk East favorite Coffeyville has fallen completely out of the rankings.
Hutchinson has been ranked in 90 of the last 94 ranking periods.
The Blue Dragons will close the first semester of play on Wednesday at the Sports Arena in a 7:30 p.m. matchup against Cloud County.
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NJCAA MEN'S DIVISION I BASKETBALL RANKINGS
1. Ranger (16)
2. Vincennes
3. Pearl River
4. Otero
5. Florida SouthWestern State
6. Hutchinson
7. Mineral Area
8. Tallahassee
9. Indian Hills
10. Northern Oklahoma Tonkawa