Bossier City, LA — After an unexpected eight-day layoff caused by Winter Storm Fern, the BPCC Cavaliers returned to the floor Thursday night and pushed Tyler Junior College to the limit in a hard-fought overtime battle that was decided in the final seconds. Winter Storm Fern blanketed the region with ice and disrupted an already demanding conference schedule. Hazardous travel conditions forced the postponement of the Cavaliers’ Jan. 24 road contest and pushed the next game back a day, creating an unusual break in the middle of conference play.
Despite the disruption to the schedule, BPCC came out aggressive and set the tone early, controlling the tempo early and building a seven-point advantage heading into halftime. Tyler responded after the break, steadily chipping away at the deficit before eventually taking the lead. From there, the contest turned into a possession-by-possession battle. Neither team was able to create separation, as the lead changed hands multiple times throughout the closing minutes of regulation. With the score tied late, a last-second foul sent BPCC to the free-throw line with a chance to win the game in regulation. The Cavaliers were unable to capitalize, sending the game into overtime tied at 80. BPCC continued to battle in the extra five minutes and held a three-point lead with 25 seconds remaining. Tyler answered with a clutch three-pointer to tie the game, then capitalized in the closing moments to pull away as time expired, securing a 92-90 victory.
The matchup marked the second meeting between the teams in 22 days. Tyler previously earned a 91-71 win in the first meeting on its home floor. Head Coach Jeff Moore praised his team’s resilience following a game that stretched through regulation and overtime and came down to the final possession.
“In a down-to-the-wire game in regulation and overtime, it came down to the little things we have to improve on to finish with a win,” Moore said. “Tyler hit some big shots when they needed to, and it came down to who had the ball last. I’m super proud of our fight and toughness, and we plan to carry that same effort and mindset into Saturday’s game.”
Thursday night’s loss moves the Cavaliers to 8-10 overall and 2-8 in conference play. BPCC now turns its attention to a challenging stretch as it looks to snap an eight-game losing streak. The Cavaliers will play five games in the span of 10 days, beginning with a road trip Saturday at Navarro and a Monday matchup at Blinn. BPCC returns home Wednesday to host Panola before welcoming Coastal Bend next Saturday.
Visit www.bpcc.edu/athletics for game schedules, tickets, and updates all season long.