March 5, 2024
Bucs Suffer Heartbreaking Loss In Regular Season Finale
The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers led the #8 Daytona State Falcons for 37:56 of their Citrus Conference tilt Monday night in Suncoast Credit Union Arena. The Falcons didn't lead for a single second of game action. However, in one of the oddest quirks you will see on a stat sheet, the Falcons, who erased a 17 point FSW lead over the final 10 minutes of the contest, got a game winning basket with less than 0.1 on the clock to stun the Bucs and claim their share of the inaugural Citrus Conference Championship.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers led the #8 Daytona State Falcons for 37:56 of their Citrus Conference tilt Monday night in Suncoast Credit Union Arena. The Falcons didn't lead for a single second of game action. However, in one of the oddest quirks you will see on a stat sheet, the Falcons, who erased a 17 point FSW lead over the final 10 minutes of the contest, got a game winning basket with less than 0.1 on the clock to stun the Bucs and claim their share of the inaugural Citrus Conference Championship.
After a 215 point shootout in their first meeting of the season in Daytona, it was the Bucs getting off to the better start Monday night in Suncoast Arena as Jaehshon Thomas scored five of the first seven points of the night for FSW to push the Purple and Aqua out to an early 7-2 lead. A three point play from Dezdrick Lindsay seven minutes in put the Bucs in front 15-9 and with 6:21 to go in the first half a three from Tyrone Baker gave FSW their first double digit lead of the game at 32-22. Daytona drew back to within three at 34-31 moments later, but another push by the Bucs, highlighted by back to back threes from AJ Hopkins quickly made it a 10 point game once again at 43-33 late in the half. The Bucs would finish the half getting five of the final seven points, cushioning their lead to 48-35 as the teams went to the locker rooms at the break.
Daytona had no answer for Thomas as he continued to have his way on the offensive end of the floor, pouring in eight early points in the second to keep the Bucs up double digits at 61-49 with 14:47 to go. An alley oop from Thomas to Baker kept it a 12 point game moments later and the Bucs continued their high flying act as Baker found Yvens Paul for a two handed slam to make it 65-51 FSW with 13:33 remaining. A steal by Thomas and feed ahead to Dezdrick Lindsay for a two handed slam gave the Bucs their largest lead of the night at 72-55 with 10:27 remaining on the clock. Just when it looked like the Bucs were going to run away with it, here came the Falcons. Daytona scored the next eight points to cut it to a single digit game once again and by the under 5:00 timeout, the Falcons had made it a two point game at 76-74. Daytona tied the game at 76 with a tough finish and the game remained deadlocked for over a minute until Baker drained a three to put the Bucs back up 79-76 with 2:57 to go. Daytona tied it back up, but agian, a three from FSW, this time from Thomas put the Purple and Aqua back in front 82-79 with 1:37 left. The Bucs had a chance to extend the lead when they picked off a Daytona pass and went the other way, but they missed a layup and couldn't take advantage of an offensive rebound opportunity and Daytona made them pay with a transition dunk to make it a one point game, 82-81 with 37 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, the Bucs didn't get a shot off, taking a shot clock violation to give Daytona the ball back, down one with 7.8 seconds remaining on the clock. Out of a timeout the Falcons raced the ball up the court and perfectly executed a set for a layup as time expired to take their first and only lead of the game with no time remaining on the clock to win it 83-82.
FSW lost despite shooting 52% from the field and 50% from the three point line with 19 turnovers gifting Daytona 23 points in the loss. Thomas led the Bucs with 23 points and a career high 11 assists in his first career double-double in his final game in Suncoast Arena. Lindsay added 19 points and 7 rebounds while Baker chipped in 16 off the Bucs bench.
The Bucs finish the regular season 22-8 and wrap up Citrus Conference play at 12-4 where they finish 3rd. Daytona State improves to 28-2 overall and win a share of the Citrus Conference Championship with a 14-2 record.
FSW will now turn their attention to the FCSAA State Tournament where they will learn their opponent later this week for their March 13th matchup in Niceville.