JACKSONVILLE, Texas – It was early season heartbreak as LSU Eunice had No. 16 Blinn College on the ropes all afternoon but fell short with a 67-58 setback on Saturday to close out the Jaguars Classic at Jacksonville College.  The Bengals (1-1) never trailed for the first 35 minutes of the contest before a cold snap doomed LSUE.
 
LSU Eunice roared out to a 11-1 lead to start the game, capitalized by Trinity Harold's long two point basket with 4:27 left in the first quarter.  The Bucs would claw back and get with three to start the second quarter, but another spurt by LSUE to close out the half would send the Bengals into the locker rooms up 32-22.
 
Brooklyn Fontenot would spark LSUE after intermission with a steal and finish on the other to amass its largest lead of the game, 35-22.   Blinn would chip into that lead, headlined by Hailey Atwood's game-high 21 points.  A three-point basket from Blinn would tie the game at 37-37 halfway through the third as the teams would enter the final frame with LSUE holding on to a slim 50-49 advantage.
 
Alona Washington would find a wide-open Tahjea Smith underneath the basket to push the Bengals' lead to 58-52 with just over five minutes left in the game.  It would be the points scored by LSUE.
 
Blinn would force multiple turnovers on its way to a 15-0 run to close out the game.
 
Fontenot (10 points) and Tanisha Hester (13 points) were the lone Bengals to score in double digits.
 
LSUE's game on Sunday with North American University has been canceled due to COVID-19 related issues for NAU.  The Bengals return to the court, and to the Lone Star State, this weekend with a Thursday, January 28 date at Coastal Bend College.
 
Fans can find the latest Bengals information on social media via Twitter (@LSUEBengalsWBB), Facebook (@LSUEWomensBasketball) and Instagram (@LSUEBengals).