The seventh-seeded Buccaneers knocked off the 10th-seeded Apaches behind a double-double from sophomore wing Tyler Washington and double-digit scoring performances from five different players.
“I thought we played a very good basketball game today,” Blinn head coach Scott Schumacher said. “We were laser-focused and played a good, solid basketball game against a very good team.”
Washington scored 10 points and pulled down 14 rebounds. Blinn (17-14) out-rebounded Tyler 39-31.
Sophomore wing Connor Raines paced the Bucs with 13 points, freshman center Connor Redrow tallied 11, and freshman guards Braelon Seals and Maurice Pinnock added 10.
Blinn finished with just nine turnovers for the game and went 13-of-19 from the free-throw line.
The Bucs led 32-24 at the half.
Blinn will face second-seeded Lee College (25-4) in the quarterfinal round at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at Jacksonville College.
“I’m just ecstatic that we were able to win the first game and put that one behind us,” Schumacher said. “We’ll be ready for Lee on Thursday.”
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
