By the Salina Journal
HESSTON -- In what will be the first of two likely meetings this month, the Brown Mackie Lions play Hesston College tonight. The women's game starts at 6 p.m., followed by the men at about 8.
The Brown Mackie men (10-15) snapped a six-game losing streak Monday with an 81-58 victory over the Bethel JV at Banes Gymnasium. Kenon Lamb led the Lions with a career-high 30 points.
Brown Mackie is seeded third in the NJCAA Division II Region 6 standings behind No. 2 Hesston. The Lions are 2-3 in regional play and Hesston 3-2. But the Larks own the tiebreaker by virtue of a victory over top-seeded Johnson County, which swept Brown Mackie this season.
Hesston (19-7) also defeated Brown Mackie 68-67 Jan. 16 in Salina as LaMont Russell had 28 points and 16 rebounds for the Larks. Lamb had 26 points for Brown Mackie.
All of that makes it a virtual certainty Brown Mackie and Hesston will play again, in Hesston, in the first round of the Division II Region 6 tournament in Hesston later this month.
The Brown Mackie women (13-12) are currently second in the Region 6 standings with a 3-2 record. Hesston is third at 2-3 but defeated the Lions 73-58 earlier this season and could gain the homecourt advantage in the regional playoff with a victory tonight. A Brown Mackie victory tonight over Hesston would give them the No. 2 seed.