BRENHAM, Texas (Interstat) — The Midland College Chaparrals remained undefeated Friday night, using a dominant defensive performance to overpower the Blinn College Buccaneers 88-66 in a men’s junior college basketball game.

In a contest where the final score was closer than the flow of play suggested, Midland improved to 7-0 while handing Blinn its first loss of the season, dropping the Buccaneers to 2-1. The victory was particularly impressive as it came against a Blinn team that, according to Interstat’s ELO system, had been projected as the favorite with a 54.90 percent probability to win.

The Chaparrals established control early and never relented, leading from wire-to-wire. The game was effectively decided in the first half, with Midland taking a 44-33 lead into the break. The teams played to an identical 44-33 score in the second half, allowing Midland to maintain its comfortable cushion throughout.

Midland’s victory was built on stifling defense and superior ball movement. The Chaparrals forced 13 Blinn turnovers, converting them into numerous transition opportunities, while only committing 11 of their own. The assist column told a stark story of offensive execution, with Midland dishing out 10 assists compared to just three for the Buccaneers. Defensively, Midland was omnipresent, racking up 10 steals and six blocked shots.

Offensive efficiency was the other key differentiator. Despite both teams having an identical 81 possessions, Midland’s offense was far more potent, scoring at a rate of 108.0 points per 100 possessions. Blinn struggled to find a rhythm, managing an offensive rating of just 81.2.

The Chaparrals shot 49.2 percent from the floor, connecting on 32 of 65 attempts. They were also effective from beyond the arc, hitting 10 of 24 three-pointers. Blinn, by contrast, was held to 36.7 percent shooting, making 22 of 60 shots from the field and only 5 of 15 from deep. Free throw shooting was an area of struggle for both squads, with Midland making 14 of 22 and Blinn converting 17 of 28.

Midland’s attack was balanced and multifaceted. Darius Carr led all scorers with 15 points, while Nicholas Anthony added 16. Cayden Reed and Duane Thompson also reached double figures, scoring 14 and 11 points respectively. Thompson was a key spark from long range, hitting multiple three-pointers. Solomon Ominu anchored the paint defensively, recording three of the team’s six blocks.

For Blinn, Dashawn Ceaser shouldered the scoring load with 16 points. Desmeon Jones and Kendarius Johnson contributed 11 and 8 points, with Johnson also pulling down six rebounds.

The Chaparrals, coming off a 75-70 road win at Pearl River just one day earlier, continue a demanding stretch of their schedule. They are set to face Southwestern Christian on Saturday. Blinn, which defeated New Mexico Military Institute 100-88 on Thursday, will look to rebound on the road Saturday against Odessa.