January 13, 2024
Big Second Half Propels Bucs Past Hawks
The #25 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers shot 70% from inside the three point line and five different players scored in double figures as they pulled away late from the Hillsborough Hawks for a 92-70 Citrus Conference win Saturday afternoon in Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #25 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers shot 70% from inside the three point line and five different players scored in double figures as they pulled away late from the Hillsborough Hawks for a 92-70 Citrus Conference win Saturday afternoon in Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers.
The action was back and forth early on as expected between two teams who entered the game with a combined 24-6 record. With Hillsborough up one seven minutes in, the Bucs took to the skies with dunks on three consecutive possessions to take a 23-18 lead of their own at the midway mark of the half. After Hillsborough found their footing to retake the lead, it was another arial assault for FSW as Yvens Paul hammered one home with two hands and Tyrone Baker followed suit with a highlight reel slam to put the Bucs back in front by one. Like two heavyweight fighters, the Bucs and Hawks continued to trade shots, and the lead, until playing to a 42-42 draw as they went to the locker rooms at the half.
Tied at 44 a minute and a half into the second half, the Bucs went on a 9-0 run to go in front 53-44 and continued that push to 59-47, keeping the Hawks without a field goal for nearly seven minutes of game time. A pair of free throws from Dezdrick Lindsay put the Bucs up a baker's dozen and a huge one handed slam from Baker upped FSW's advantage to 67-53 as the clock ticked under 10:00 remainingin the contest. Hillsborough made a couple of pushes, but every time they did, FSW had an answer. Five straight points from AJ Hopkins put FSW up 79-60 with 4:37 to go and a three from Cole Franklin was the dagger for the Hawks as the Bucs went on to run away with a 92-70 win to remain unbeaten early in Citrus Conference action.
The Bucs shot 55% overall despite going just 3-18 from the three point line in the win. Jaehshon Thomas and Tyrone Baker both set new career highs with 19 and 18 points respectively to lead five players in double figures for FSW. The Bucs dominated on the inside, outscoring Hillsborough 56-34 in the paint while FSW erased 9 Hawk shot attempts led by 3 each from Baker and Reis Jones.
FSW wins their fifth straight to improve to 12-4 overall while picking up their second win in as many chances in Citrus Conference play. Hillsborough falls to 13-3 overall and drops their first league tilt to fall to 2-1.
The Bucs will now go on the road for three straight games beginning on Wednesday when they travel to Winter Haven to take on Polk State in a 7 PM tip from the Health Center.