Beeville, Tx 

The Coastal Bend Cougars (17-8) hosted the Blinn Buccaneers (18-7) on Saturday. 

The Den was rocking in anticipation of a re-match with a top regional foe in attendance. The Bucs were seeking to add to their four game win streak and their top 2 seeding in the Southern Division of Region 14. The Cougars were still licking their wounds from a defeat in Lufkin at the hands of the Angelina RoadRunners several nights before. The Cougars opened the game on the prowl matching the Bucs blow for blow. By the midpoint of the first half the score was in favor of the home team, 19-15.

Stringing together stops, the Cougars looked like they had a good handle of what the Bucs were trying to do defensively. Freshman Peter McKey intercepted a pass and finished it  for a layup around the 8 minute mark and pushed the lead up, 22-17. Blinn battled back making a run closing the gap to 1, 25-24 with 3 and change remaining in the half. The Bucs managed to take the lead, 27-31 and would manage it taking a slight lead heading into the break, 34-36. 

Hopeful to make a run in the second half, the Cougars set their eyes on making shots, something they struggled with the entire night. The Bucs had other plans. Blinn would ratchet up their defense and stretch their lead to 10, 39-49 by the first media timeout and would maintain that distance the remainder of the game. Poor shooting from the 3 point area once again plagued the Cougars plans to get back on the right side of the win column. The Bucs would prevail, 60-75.      

Key players of the game: Sophomore Malik Nash led the Cougars with 15 points Sophomore Breion Powell contributed a double double with 12 points and 11 boards.    

The loss moves the Cougars record to 17-9, 10-5 in conference play, their first 2 game losing streak of the season. They will host Victoria JC on Saturday. The win improves the Bucs to 19-7, 12-3 in conference play.                  

(by Brandon Martinez Men's Basketball Assistant)