It was everything you’d expect from No. 6 against No. 8

Sixth-ranked Midland (Texas) College fought its way to an 80-74 win over No. 8 College of Southern Idaho in a nip-and-tuck battle on the second day of the Coca-Cola Invitational.

Down 76-74, the Golden Eagles had five straight empty possessions in the final 2 minutes. The Chaparrals got a 3-point play from Erika Warren with 31.3 seconds left to ice the win.

Despite the loss, a young CSI team came away feeling positive.

“We’re not as good as they are yet,” said CSI head coach Randy Rogers. “But I think our team has some upside.”

Shauneice Samms led CSI with 20 points and 16 rebounds. Freshman Laurel Kearsley used her trademark hustle to add 17 points and 14 boards, while sophomore Maddy Plunkett displayed her shooting touch in scoring 20. She also grabbed eight caroms, but missed a couple late 3-point tries.

“I don’t know if we got tired or what happened to us,” Plunkett said of the final minutes. “I’m really bummed. We played pretty well, but we have so far to come. Hopefully we get to play them again at nationals.”

Midland’s pressure defense gave CSI fits early, but the Golden Eagles adjusted and improved as the game progressed.

“That was the first time we’ve played a team that had a decent amount of pressure,” said Plunkett. “Our wings couldn’t get open. They pressed us a little bit, but that’s good for us. We can learn from that.”

Warren led the Chaparrals with 15 points, while Lauren Mansfield added 14 and Jessi Cowden hit 4 of 6 treys on her way to 13.

Devan Matkin chipped in 13 points and a team-high six assists for CSI, which had 25 turnovers, including seven apiece by Samms and point guard Daidra Brown.

“We can still be dangerous,” said Rogers. “We need some better guard play.”

CSI trailed 63-58 before Plunkett and Matkin hit consecutive treys in a 10-2 run that put the Golden Eagles up 68-65. Midland quickly tied the score and then went up four, setting up the finish.

Plunkett scored four quick baskets upon entering the game in the first half, helping CSI turn a 14-8 deficit into an 18-17 lead. Midland engineered a 13-0 run to build a 30-18 advantage, but consecutive buckets by Samms started a 15-3 run for the Eagles and the teams went into halftime tied at 36-all.

Salt Lake CC 94, No. 1 Central Arizona 79

Haley Holmstead scored 33 points and Salt Lake Community College (4-1) upset a top 10 team for the second straight day, upending preseason No. 1 Central Arizona College 94-79.

Dayna Burgess scored 15 points and dished out 10 assists for the Bruins, who shot 59 percent from the field. Kelsey Sparkman added 13 points and 11 boards.

Baytania Newman scored 30 to lead Central Arizona (3-1), while Sancheon White had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Mesa CC 88, Southern Idaho All Stars 81

Mesa Community College improved to 2-1 with an 88-81 win over the Southern Idaho All Stars. Briana Benjamin had 21 points and five assists for Mesa, while Prayer Branham added 18 points and five assists. Christian Buescher added 19 points and six boards.

Jessica Blake had 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead five SI All Stars in double-figure scoring.

No. 6 Midland College 80, No. 6 CSI 74

MIDLAND COLLEGE (80)

Adrie Shiels 3-5 1-2 8, Shaquiri Graham 0-2 0-0 0, Erika Warren 5-12 5-5 15, Heather Sheppard 0-5 2-2 2, Lauren Mansfield 5-11 1-4 14, Tanica Anderson 0-3 2-2 2, Robnesha Brigham 4-12 0-0 9, Brittany Wilson 2-4 0-0 4, Jessi Cowdem 4-7 1-2 13, Titania Simmons 1-5 0-0 3, Alexis Hewitt 0-0 0-0 0, Patricia Brigham 0-3 0-0 0, Miriam Seale 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 28-75 13-19 80.

CSI (74)

Felicity Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Shauneice Samms 8-14 4-5 20, Daidra Brown 2-9 0-2 4, Laurel Kearsley 6-16 5-5 17, Devan Matkin 5-15 0-0 13, Emiliya Yancheva 0-0 0-0 0, Kalika Tullock 0-0 0-0 0, Kylie Hardison 0-0 0-0 0, Tina Fakahafua 0-0 0-0 0, Maddy Plunkett 9-18 0-0 20. Totals 30-73 9-12 74.

Halftime: Midland 36, CSI 36. 3-point goals: Midland 11-31 (Shiels 1-3, Graham 0-1, Warren 0-3, Mansfield 3-4, Anderson 0-1, Brigham 1-6, Cowdem 4-6, Simmons 1-5, Haynes 1-1, Bright 0-1); CSI 5-22 (Jones 0-1, Samms 0-2, Brown 0-1, Kearsley 0-4, Matkin 3-7, Plunkett 2-7). Rebounds: Midland 41 (Sheppard 8); CSI 54 (Samms 16). Assists: Midland 15 (Hewitt 4); CSI 17 (Matkin 6). Turnovers: Midland 15; CSI 25. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none.

Salt Lake CC 94, No. 1 Central Arizona 79

SALT LAKE CC (94)

Dayna Burgess 6-9 0-0 15, Shelila Adams 4-10 0-0 12, Kelsey Sparkman 4-4 5-5 11, Allie Blake 4-8 3-4 11, Haley Holmstead 10-16 13-16 33, Vanna Cox 0-0 0-0 0, Mina Jovanovic 0-0 1-3 1, Kate Powlowski 0-0 0-0 0, Marcilina Grayer 0-0 0-0 0, Erin Rockwood 0-2 0-0 0, Jana Rastovic 0-1 0-0 0, Amie Jensen 1-1 1-3 3, Jamie Mokofisi 2-2 2-2 6. Totals 31-53 25-33 94.

CENTRAL ARIZONA (79)

Baytania Newman 11-17 8-10 30, Olivia Major 3-15 3-4 10, Sancheon White 6-11 0-3 14, Ashley Mitchell 2-12 4-6 8, Ayoola Weaver 1-4 0-0 2, Twyla Ingram 2-2 3-4 9, Angel Porter 0-1 0-0 0, Ninna Bungard 0-1 0-0 0, Jasmine Beverly 0-1 0-0 0, Jelesia Gray 3-4 0-2 6, Branna Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-68 18-29 79.

Halftime: Salt Lake 47, Central Arizona 35. 3-point goals: Salt Lake 7-16 (Burgess 3-5, Adams 4-9, Holmstead 0-2); Central Arizona 5-21 (Major 1-11, White 2-3, Mitchell 0-5, Ingram 2-2). Rebounds: Salt Lake 40 (Sparkman 11); Central Arizona 34 (White 11). Assists: Salt Lake 21 (Burgess 10); Central Arizona 12 (Mitchell 6). Turnovers: Salt Lake 25; Central Arizona 16. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none.

Mesa CC 88, Southern Idaho All Stars 81

SI ALL STARS (81)

Merilee Sears 0-2 0-0 0, Leah Moore 4-5 4-5 12, Ashley Thompson 3-8 4-6 11, Jennifer McDonough 3-6 5-10 11, Jessica Blake 5-13 6-6 16, Shaylayna 0-0 0-0 0, Amy Passey 5-8 2-4 13, Shannelle Knight 2-3 0-0 4, Morgan Hitt 1-1 0-0 2, Deena Garbett 2-7 0-0 4, Jessica Mesna 3-8 2-4 8. Totals 28-61 23-35 81.

MESA CC (88)

Prayer Branham 7-12 3-4 18, Katie Tomlinson 4-5 0-0 9, Callina Hurley 3-7 3-6 9, Briana Benjamin 6-11 7-7 21, Christina Bueschler 8-13 2-5 19, Kimmy Randall 0-3 0-0 0, Alannah Begay 1-1 0-0 2, Nicole Crisp 3-6 0-1 6, Jamine Petit 0-0 0-0 0, Amber Bond 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 34-60 15-23 88.

Halftime: Mesa CC 32, SI All Stars 28. 3-point goals: SI All Stars 2-5 (Sears 0-1, Thompson 1-2, Passey 1-1); Mesa 5-15 (Branham 1-4, Tomlinson 1-1, Benjamin 2-6, Buescher 1-3, Randall 0-1). Rebounds: SI All Stars 44 (Blake 12); Mesa 28 (Buescher 6). Assists: SI All Stars 16 (three with 3); Mesa 19 (Branham, Benjamin 5). Turnovers: SI All Stars 24; Mesa 16. Fouled out: Mesa, Branham. Technical fouls: none.