By Tony Adams, Temple College

The Temple College Leopards women's basketball team hosted the Blinn College Buccaneers Tuesday night in a pre-Thanksgiving tilt on Kirby Johnson Court.

In a thrilling game that went down to the finish, Temple's attempt to tie was knocked down at the horn as Blinn managed to escape with a 78-76 win.

The teams combined for 47 points in the first quarter. Temple led 21-17 before the Buccaneers' 9-0 gave the visitors a 26-21 lead at the end of the period.

Blinn pushed their lead out to seven, with 4:31 to go in the first half.

Temple closed the half on a 12-6 stretch to pull to within a point at the break, 44-43.

With Blinn having pushed out to a seven-point lead, the Leopards battled back to within a point. At the end of the third quarter, the Buccaneers led 61-57.

Blinn had a 77-73 lead inside the final minute when Imani McCray hit a three-pointer to pull to within a point.

Jasey hit the first free throw but missed the second. TC hauled in the rebound with 0.7 to play.

The inbound pass found Aniyah Lewis to the right side of the basket. She laid the ball up and it hit off the rim, absorbing body contact on the way up and on the way down at the horn. There was no foul called on the play by the officials, as the Buccaneers took home the win.

Blinn was led in the scoring column by Tocarra Johnson with 22 points. Joneshia Neal and Ja'Nya Thomas added 15 points each for the Buccaneers, who converted 19-of-30 free throw attempts.

Jaylice Rosario scored 23 points on 9-of-14 free throw attempts. McCray scored 22 points, which included four three-pointers.

The Leopards shot 12-of-18 from the free throw line.

Temple will travel to Beeville to take on Coastal Bend College on Wednesday, Dec. 4.