BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College women’s basketball put itself in a position to at least tie the game in the final minute against No. 23 Odessa College but missed free throws and missed scoring opportunities gave Odessa a 58-55 victory Saturday afternoon inside the PE Building in Brenham.
Ashley Ford hit a layup with 41.4 second left to get within three points but Blinn was unable to score again, including two missed free throws that hurt the Buccaneers all night and lowered their overall record to 2-1.
Blinn did get its offense going in spurts as Ebony Parker led with 14 points, Jeliah Preston followed with 13 points and Ford and Ekiya Gray each had 10 points. Rosemary Ilang didn’t put the ball in the hoop but she did grab 10 rebounds for the Buccaneers. Odessa was led by Shelby Richards with 16 points.
Neither team could grab momentum early as Preston was able to hit a jumper from the wing and Gray hit a free throw to tie the game at 8-8 with 4:25 left in the first quarter. Gray led with five points in the opening quarter but it was Odessa clinging to a 16-12 lead after one.
Blinn opened up the second on a 7-2 run after a 3-pointer from Preston gave the Buccaneers a 19-18 lead with 6:03 left. Long-range shooting for Odessa hurt Blinn as the visiting team hit three shots from beyond the arc to maintain a 29-24 lead at the break. Preston led Blinn with five points in the quarter.
The Buccaneers were able to grab a slim lead in the third on the strength of an 11-3 run to earn a 35-34 lead. Parker got going in the third quarter with nine points but Odessa was able to regain the lead at 45-41 heading into the final quarter.
Prospects of a comeback seemed dim as Odessa stretched the lead out to 56-49 with 2:45 to play. That is when Bryanna Taylor and Gray each hit a pair of free throws to get within three at 56-53. After a layup by Ford again got the Buccaneers within three that would be as close as Blinn would get as Odessa fouled before the ball was even thrown in and then missed the ensuing free throws.
Blinn will stay at home hosting Southwestern Christian College on Monday, Nov. 9 at 5:30 p.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 32 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
