The fifth-ranked Blinn College women's basketball team found itself down 9-0 quickly against South Plains College on Saturday and needed an answer quickly.
Once sophomore guard Makayla Patterson provided a response with a 3-pointer, the Buccaneers continued to answer back and eventually passed their first test of 2023 with a 64-57 victory over the Texans at the Kruse Center in Brenham, Texas.
The triumph was the Bucs' second over the Texans this season.
"That was a tough matchup for us right after Christmas," Blinn head coach Jeff Jenkins said. "I was proud of our resiliency after not playing since Dec. 10. We knew it probably wasn't going to be very pretty, but our kids stepped up and any time you get a win right after Christmas against a good team, you're happy."
Though they entered Saturday's contest unranked, the Texans were previously No. 4 in the NJCAA Division I Top 25 poll prior to a loss to the Buccaneers on Nov. 7.
South Plains showed off some of its potential early in the first quarter when it raced out to its early lead.
Patterson got the hosts going with her 3, however, as Blinn fought back for a 12-11 lead by the end of the period.
The two teams remained neck-and-neck in the second quarter and went into halftime tied at 28.
(Pictured: Blinn College sophomore Crystal Smith, left, drives past South Plains' Matilda Soderlund during a game Jan. 7)
"We just had to continue with our gameplan," said Patterson, who paced her team with 10 points. "We knew the offense would come eventually, so we just had to lock down on defense and give our shooters a chance."
Those chances came in the second half as the Bucs went on a 19-7 run that made it a 47-35 game with 2:20 left in the third period.
The Texans went on a quick 6-0 burst that made it 52-46 early in the fourth, but back-to-back 3s from sophomore guards Hannah Humphrey and Skylar Barnes pushed the lead back to 12 and kept Blinn in control.
South Plains battled back once more, pulling within 62-57 with 1:14 left, but sophomore guard Crystal Smith put the game on ice with a pair of free throws with 15 seconds to go.
"We had to focus less on the score and more on keeping each other up," Smith said. "Our energy was good, even when we were down early, and I think that's what allowed us to come back and get this win."
Tullis and Barnes had nine points apiece, and Humphrey finished with eight.
The Buccaneers remain home for a matchup against North American University at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 9.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
