January 2, 2023
Bucs Explode Late For 10th Win
For 30 minutes Monday night, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers looked like they hadn't played a game in nearly three weeks, which they hadn't. For the final 10, they looked like the team that earned their way back into the NJCAA Top 25 this week, putting up 42 points to run away with a 92-59 win over South Georgia Tech to improve to 10-4 on the season with one final non-conference tuneup on tap Tuesday afternoon.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- For 30 minutes Monday night, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers looked like they hadn't played a game in nearly three weeks, which they hadn't. For the final 10, they looked like the team that earned their way back into the NJCAA Top 25 this week, putting up 42 points to run away with a 92-59 win over South Georgia Tech to improve to 10-4 on the season with one final non-conference tuneup on tap Tuesday afternoon.
The Bucs got off to a slow start playing for the first time in 18 days, trailing South Georgia Tech 12-8 early on despite a pair of early threes from freshman AJ Hopkins. Turnovers continued to pile up for the Bucs as the Jets stretched their lead to six with 13:00 to go in the first. A finish on the inside from Allen Udemadu got FSW going back in the right direction and the Bucs would score the next eight straight, erasing the Jets lead and taking a one point lead of their own at 18-17 at the under 10 media timeout. South Georgia Tech got a bucket to push back in front by one, but FSW locked in on defense from there, holding the Jets without a single point over the next 6:21 while going on a 13-0 run to take their largest lead of the first half at 31-19 with 3:43 to go in the period. Jadrian Tracey finished a tough three point play at the bucket to keep the Bucs up double digits in the closing moments of the half and FSW went to the break leading the Jets 35-28.
The Bucs started the second half with dunks from Tyson Brown and AJ Hopkins and Hopkins finished another one on the inside to put the Bucs back up 13. South Georgia Tech kept hanging around, trimming the Bucs lead to just eight at 46-38 at the 13:00 minute mark. Dezdrick Lindsay buried a three from the wing to make it an 11 point game and began a memorable final 10 minutes for the Purple and Aqua. Tracey found Udemadu for a two handed slam to make it 61-43 FSW with 9:05 to go. A triple moments later from Bradley Douglas gave the Bucs their first 20 point lead of the game and with the snowball rolling down hill, it was all FSW from there. Brown grabbed his 10th rebound of the night and scored on the other end to secure his ninth double-double of the season to make it 76-51 FSW with 4:00 to go and Lindsay scored in transition on three straight possessions to open up an 84-51 lead for the Bucs just 1:30 later. At the final horn it was all FSW as the Bucs dribbled out a 92-59 win for their 10th victory of the season.
Ten different players had 5 or more points for the Bucs in the win led by Brown who finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Lindsay who went for 14 on 6-8 shooting. Jordan Mitchell led FSW with 6 assists and 6 steals in 21 minutes of work off the bench.
The Bucs win their 2023 opener to improve to 10-4 on the year while South Georgia Tech falls to 3-9.
FSW will play their final non-conference game of the year on Tuesday when they entertain North Florida Prep in a 4 PM start from Suncoast Credit Union Arena.