BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College women's basketball essentially went back and forth with Panola College up until the final four minutes when the Buccaneers were able to pull away for an 84-76 victory Wednesday night inside the P.E. Building.
"Panola is a really good team this year and I thought our defense did very well tonight," said Jeff Jenkins, Blinn head coach. "This is our first really, really good win of the year."
With the win, the Buccaneers improve to 6-5 overall and 2-2 in Region XIV play.
Part of the reason that Blinn was able to get a little separation in the final quarter was the play of Ke'Asia Williams. With seven points scored in the final quarter, Williams was able to fight off an asthma attack in the closing minutes to give the Buccaneers some momentum as she finished with game with 16 points.
"The way this conference is, any team can win so we had to play hard," Williams said. "It is hard playing this sport with asthma but I knew that I couldn't afford to slow down in the fourth because I felt like the team needed me."
Jade Rochelle led the Buccaneers with 17 points while Daikea Milton scored 13 and Bryanna Taylor chipped in with 10.
Both teams came out as equals in the first quarter as Rochelle and Taylor each scored four points in the opening quarter. Milton hit a pair of free throws with 1:27 left to give the Buccaneers a 16-10 lead but that lead dissolved as Panola fired back to tie the game at 18-18 after one.
Milton led the charge in the second quarter with nine points as Blinn opened the quarter with an 11-2 run for a 29-20 lead with 5:50 left in the half. Panola was able to get it slightly closer but the Buccaneers maintained a 39-32 lead at the half.
Panola put together its best quarter in the third to chip away at the Blinn lead. Williams and Taylor each scored five points in the quarter but Panola was able to get within 59-57 after the third.
The fourth started out as a back and forth affair until Blinn broke open a two-point game with nine straight points started by two consecutive layups by Williams and a 3-point play by Rochelle for a 77-66 lead with 1:58 left.
Williams scored seven points in the final quarter to help Blinn pull away for an eight-point victory.
Blinn will look to go 2-0 at home this week in conference with a game against San Jacinto College-North on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 34 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
About Blinn College
With an enrollment of 19,422 students, Blinn ranks among the nation's leaders in transferring students to leading four-year universities and has received national recognition for affordable educational excellence. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu.
