LEE SNAPS BUCS’ WINNING STREAK 82-80
A regular-season sweep of Region XIV South Zone leader Lee College narrowly eluded the Blinn College men's basketball team Saturday.
The South's first- and second-place teams went toe-to-toe for 45 minutes, with Lee ultimately escaping with an 82-80 overtime victory over the Buccaneers in Baytown, Texas.
The road loss dropped Blinn to 20-7 overall and 11-5 in region play.
"I told our guys after the game they played a really good ballgame," Bucs head coach Scott Schumacher said. "It wasn't good enough to win tonight, but we played well. Lee played well and we played well, it just came down to the fact that Lee made the last shot and we did not."
Of their two matchups this season, the Bucs and Navigators each claimed victory on their home court. Blinn topped Lee 88-68 on Jan. 31 in Brenham, Texas.
Saturday's rematch proved to be a tighter tilt as neither team gained a double-digit lead for the game's entirety. Lee held just a 38-37 halftime lead.
In the final seconds of regulation, the Bucs had a chance to win the game, but a contested layup missed its mark, and the two teams went into overtime tied at 71-all. The Navigators took the lead with seven seconds to go in overtime, and after Blinn raced down the court looking to tie, a loose ball went out of bounds last touched by the Bucs. A final inbounds pass by Lee sealed the game.
Freshman wing Anthony Isaac starred for the Bucs with 23 points and 16 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. Sophomore guard Masiah Gilyard matched Isaac with 23 points and added 11 boards for his seventh double-double. Sophomore guard Patrick Neal Jr. finished with 13 points and five assists.
Next up for Blinn is a region home tilt against Angelina College at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the Kruse Center in Brenham. The game will begin following the conclusion of the women's basketball bout between Blinn and Panola College. Blinn and Panola are set for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.
(Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information)