Tyler Junior College

Responding to the underdog role, the Apache Ladies shot 53 percent from the field and held off No. 10 Blinn, 82-79, at Wagstaff Gymnasium.

Tyler Morning Telegraph

The Apache Ladies (13-4, 3-2) played like this was a must-win game, clearly relishing the underdog role against a team that was undefeated in league play.

TJC led from start to finish, shooting 58.3 percent in the first half and 53 percent overall.

"My pregame speech was, 'The shoe is on the other foot.' I told them to think about Southern-Shreveport (La.)," said Tillis-Jones, referring to then-No. 5 TJC's upset loss to Southern Jan. 2. "You're getting ready to play a team that you don't match up well with.

"You're going to either be a dog that cowers in the corner or you're going to come out fighting. And I thought they came out fighting."

The Apache Ladies, who built an early 20-7 lead, beat Blinn despite being dogged by foul trouble. Both of their freshmen point guards fouled out, leaving Brittany Roberson with 11 points and Kelly Stewart with seven.

The rash of fouls added up to Blinn (15-2, 5-1) shooting 39 free throws and making 28, while TJC was 10-of-15.

In the end, the Lady Bucs could not overcome their 38 percent shooting from the field.

TJC finished the game with five double-figure scorers, led by freshman Monica Spearman (12) on 6-of-7 shooting.

"We shot high-percentage shots," said Tillis-Jones. "There were six times in the ballgame that we took bad shots, but we'd been averaging 20 bad shots a game."

After losing to last-place Paris, TJC's win over a first-place team lifted the Apache Ladies' spirits.

"In the long run, it helps us," said Tillis-Jones. "As many people as we can knock off that are above us is going to help us. The Paris game lets us know that the worst team in the conference can beat you if they bring their 'A' game."

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Women

Tyler 82, Blinn 79

BLINN - Jessica Walker, 0; Tilmila Martin, 18; Edricka Thomas, 11; Jasmine Smith, 0; Ursula Hill, 19; Tiss Rocquemore, 0; Shamon Doss, 1; Alexis Green, 10; Terrah Austin, 0; Alisha Williams, 20. FG 23-60 FT 28-39.

TYLER - Chasity Shavers, 10; Kelly Stewart, 7; Brittany Roberson, 11; Monica Spearman, 12; Jessi Goodman, 3; Jasmine King, 4; Yoshica Spears, 11; Sonja Thompson, 4; Brittany Toran, 9; April Murphy, 11. FG 34-64 FT 10-15.

THREE-POINT GOALS - BC: Martin, Hill (4); TJC: Shavers (2), Stewart, Goodman.

HALFTIME SCORE - Tyler 45-36.

TURNOVERS - BC: 21; TJC: 23.

RECORDS - Blinn, 15-2 (5-1); Tyler, 13-4 (3-2).

NEXT UP - Hill at Blinn, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday; Kilgore at Tyler, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

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