BLINN WOMEN USE HOT SHOOTING TO BEAT ANGELINA

Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information

Next up for the Bucs is a pivotal matchup with Trinity Valley. The two teams will battle it out for first place in the region at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Kruse Center.

The Buccaneers (19-5 overall, 6-2 region) have won four of their past five region games and are just one game behind No. 12 Trinity Valley Community College for first place in the standings. Behind Blinn, the eight-team region remains crowded near the top, with Kilgore College, Panola College, and Tyler Junior College all sporting winning records. 

Bucs head coach Jeff Jenkins said his team has been producing its best practice efforts of the season as it looks to hit its stride ahead of the Region XIV Tournament in March. 

Jenkins believes those strong practice sessions were to thank for Wednesday night's dominant showing.

"We've been aggressive, we've been competing, and tonight's effort showed that," Jenkins said. "Our skill work has drastically improved and you can see that with how we're starting to make shots, and we just look like a completely different team than we did earlier in the year."

While Blinn hasn't been afraid to lean on its defense this season, the Bucs are averaging almost 70 points per game in the past six.

That offensive trend continued against Angelina and was matched by Blinn's reliable defense.

The Bucs scored the first 11 points of the game and didn't allow a Roadrunners basket until the 5:30 mark of the first quarter. 

Angelina's first score of the game proved to be futile in its efforts to slow Blinn as the hosts went on to grab a 17-8 cushion by the end of the period and carried a 30-16 advantage into halftime.

Sophomore forward DJ Kincade served as the Bucs' hot hand in the first half, as she tallied eight points to lead her team.

"We've worked hard all season to improve our shots, and now they're starting to fall for us," Kincade said. "It's coming when we need it the most, too, because we didn't want to peak too early. I feel like we've all bought in and are starting to figure things out at the right time."

Blinn never broke its stride in the second half, as consecutive 3-pointers from freshman guard Jasey Campbell and sophomore guard Jonesha Neal handed the Bucs a 20-point advantage with 3:44 left in the third quarter.

Blinn held a 53-34 cushion heading into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth, Neal gave her team a 30-point lead on a layup with 6:22 remaining and gave the Bucs their biggest cushion of the night when she scored on a layup to make it 71-40.

Neal had 13 points to pace Blinn, followed by 12 apiece for Kincade and sophomore guard Ja'Nya Thomas.

Next up for the Bucs is a pivotal matchup with Trinity Valley. The two teams will battle it out for first place in the region at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Kruse Center.