The Buccaneers defeated Tyler Junior College 76-60 in both teams’ regular-season and Region XIV finale in Tyler, Texas, and will enter the Region XIV Tournament next week as region co-champions and the tournament’s top seed for a second consecutive season.
Blinn’s second straight conference co-championship is just its second title in program history. The Bucs finished the regular season 28-2 overall and tied for the region lead with a 15-1 mark. Blinn tied No. 5 Trinity Valley Community College for the conference championship and won a coin toss to decide the top seed for the region tournament, just as it did at the conclusion of the 2021-22 campaign. The Bucs captured the region tournament championship last season and earned a first-round bye in the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.
“What this sophomore class has achieved is something I’ve never accomplished,” said Blinn head coach Jeff Jenkins, who is in 21st season coaching the Bucs. “We won our first conference title last year, so this isn’t something that happens regularly here at Blinn College. I’m just so proud of what this team and these sophomores have managed to do.”
The 28 victories are also tied for the most during Jenkins’ time at Blinn. The Bucs finished 28-2 during the 2012-13 season and eventually advanced to the national tournament before ending the season 32-4.
Blinn gained a measure of momentum with a victory over Tyler on Saturday.
The Bucs and Apaches played a tight ballgame through two quarters before Blinn used its depth to overwhelm its region rival.
The Bucs led 16-12 after the first quarter and just 36-35 at halftime.
“We played hard defensively in the second half and I believe our depth wore them down,” Jenkins said. “Tyler competed very hard, but it was fast-paced game and I think the depth of our bench was just too much for them at the end.”
Sophomore forward Tiffany Tullis paced the Bucs with 22 points, followed by an 11-point outing for sophomore guard Skylar Barnes. Ten other players scored at least four points for Blinn.
The Bucs’ attention now turns to the region tournament, where they begin play with a tilt against eighth-seeded Jacksonville College at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8, at Tyler Junior College. Should Blinn advance, it will face either fourth-seeded Angelina College or fifth-seeded Panola College in the semi-final round.
“We’re excited,” added Jenkins. “Our third season officially begins. We played well in our non-conference slate, our conference schedule, and now it’s time for some really big postseason games.”
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
