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Great Bend Today
By the People, for the People
Butler Grizzlies Upset No. 17 Barton Cougars for Region 6 Title
The Grizzlies clinched an automatic bid to the 2026 NJCAA Basketball Tournament with the victory.
Mar. 15, 2026 at 7:05am
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The Butler Grizzlies defeated the Barton Cougars 111-103 on Saturday to win the Region 6 championship and earn an automatic bid to the 2026 NJCAA Basketball Tournament. The Grizzlies outscored the Cougars 74-55 in the second half to overcome a halftime deficit and pull off the upset over the 17th-ranked Cougars.
Why it matters
The win gives the Butler Grizzlies an automatic berth in the prestigious NJCAA Tournament, while the Barton Cougars will now have to wait to see if they receive an at-large bid after finishing as the runner-up in the Region 6 tournament.
The details
The Grizzlies were able to rally in the second half, outscoring the Cougars 74-55 over the final 20 minutes to secure the victory. This was the worst defensive half of the season for the Cougars, who had won a share of the Jayhawk Conference regular season title.
- The game was played on Saturday, March 15, 2026.
The players
Butler Grizzlies
The men's basketball team from Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas.
Barton Cougars
The men's basketball team from Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kansas.
What’s next
The Barton Cougars will now wait to see if they receive an at-large bid to the 2026 NJCAA Basketball Tournament after finishing as the runner-up in the Region 6 tournament.
The takeaway
The Butler Grizzlies' upset victory over the 17th-ranked Barton Cougars not only clinched an automatic bid to the prestigious NJCAA Tournament, but also demonstrated the Grizzlies' ability to rally from a halftime deficit and deliver a strong second-half performance against a top-ranked opponent.
