Western Texas College opened Saturday’s tilt with a layup 33 seconds into play, but Blinn answered with a massive run that virtually put the outcome on ice as the Buccaneers rolled to a 90-51 victory at the Kruse Center in Brenham, Texas.
“I thought everybody played well,” said Blinn head coach Jeff Jenkins. “All 11 players scored and got to play good minutes, which was great to see because they all practice so hard. We shot the ball pretty well, we played hard, and we were competitive.”
Blinn (9-0) is enjoying its best ranking in the NJCAA Division I top 25 poll in program history, and against the Westerners, the Bucs continued their early-season success.
After the visitors grabbed the quick lead, Blinn sophomore forward Tiffany Tullis sank a pair of free throws to even the score at the 9:18 mark of the first period. Sophomore guard Hannah Humphrey knocked down a free throw with 8:41 left in the opening quarter as the Bucs went on a 19-0 run to take control.
Humphrey was a key catalyst in the early burst, adding a jumper and a 3-pointer to the cause. Sophomore guard Skylar Barnes also made her presence felt with a 3 and a layup in transition.
Blinn carried a 23-8 advantage into the second quarter and never let up as the lead swelled to 48-28 by halftime. Sophomore guard Jakoriah Long tallied eight points in the second period to help the hosts pull away.
“Our last couple of games we’ve had trouble keeping our energy up and keeping runs going, so I think coming into today we knew that energy and sustained runs would be key,” Long said. “We got together, we focused, and we kept running. We all held each other up and we made things happen.”
The Bucs bookended the ballgame with another big run, using a Tullis free throw to prompt a 15-0 move that gave them an 88-49 cushion.
During the final run, Blinn sophomore guard Crystal Smith wowed the Kruse Center crowd with a spin move akin to an NFL running back that left a Western Texas defender frozen in her tracks. Smith completed the dynamic maneuver with an easy layup.
(Pictured: Blinn College sophomore guard Crystal Smith shoots a free throw during a game against Western Texas College on Dec. 3)
“The energy on our bench and from the players on the court was really great and it carried us all game,” Smith said. “We were pushing each other, celebrating each other, and making defensive stops that led to some offensive chances and easy points.”
All 11 of Jenkins’ players scored at least two points, with Tullis leading the way with 17. Humphrey posted 15 points, Smith tallied 14, and Long finished with 13. Sophomore guard Makayla Patterson chipped in with nine.
Blinn will stay home for a rematch against No. 16 McLennan Community College at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5, at the Kruse Center. The Buccaneers defeated the Highlassies on the road 81-74 in overtime Nov. 2 in both teams’ season opener.
