NICEVILLE, Fla.- For 20 minutes of game action, the #14 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers looked like they were in trouble Wednesday night on the road in Niceville, Florida in the first round of the 2022 FCSAA State Tournament. FSW shot a dreadful 37% from the field and went just 1-9 from three in the first half and trailed by as many as 13 before roaring back in the second half for a 67-59 win over the Santa Fe Saints to advance to the tournament semifinals Friday. 

 

The Bucs couldn't have been much colder and the Saints couldn't have been much hotter to open up Wednesday's quarterfinal matchup as Santa Fe jumped out to a 7-2 lead two minutes in before stretching it to an 18-10 advantage at the under 14 media timeout. Santa Fe remained red hot later in the half, drilling another three to take their largest lead of the game at 30-17 with 5:17 to go in the first.  Marcus Niblack scored seven straight for the Bucs to keep them in the game, but at the break the Saints had all the momentum, leading FSW 35-28. 

 

The Bucs shot just 38% from the field in the first half while going just 1-9 from downtown. Niblack had 13 in the half for FSW while the other three Buccaneer starters combined for just five total points.  

 

The second half started much like the first did with a pair of quick buckets from the Saints to stretch their lead back to double digits at 39-28.  A second chance putback from Jonathan Dos Anjos and a three from Rhyjon Blackwell started a 7-0 run for the Bucs to get FSW back into the game at 39-35 with 16:40 to go.  It was a 44-38 game moments later when FSW found another gear.  Jordan Mitchell sliced through the Saint defense for a layup to get the Bucs rolling in the right direction and two minutes later Kaiyem Cleary drilled a three to give FSW their first lead of the game at 45-44 with 11:48 to go.  Cleary connected from deep again moments later to stretch the FSW lead to six and Niblack scored four straight to make it a 10 point game in favor of the Purple and Aqua.  Before it was all done, FSW went on a 16-0 run, turning a 44-38 deficit into a 56-44 lead, holding Santa Fe without a single point for a stretch of over seven and half minutes. Santa Fe finally managed to get one to fall and crawled back to within five before a pair of free throws made it a one possession game at 59-56 with 2:41 to go.  Both teams struggled from the free throw line over the next minute and a half with FSW remaining in front by five at 63-58 with 45 seconds to go. The Bucs missed a pair of chances to extend the lead, but Santa Fe was unable to take advantage and with 14 seconds remaining Cleary knocked down two more charities to all but seal things up for FSW.  The Saints missed a pair of threes in the closing seconds as they desperately tried to get back into the game but the Bucs held them off and went on to win 67-59. 

 

The second half was a complete reversal statistically from the first 20 minutes as FSW shot 54% from the field and Santa Fe shot just 26% while the Bucs held the Saints to just 3-19 from three point land. 

 

Niblack scored a game high 25 on 11-19 shooting in the win while Cleary and Mitchell both recorded double-doubles, Cleary with 16 points and 11 rebounds and Mitchell with 10 points and a career high 10 boards. 

 

The Bucs win their fifth straight to improve to 24-5 on the year while Santa Fe sees their season come to an end at 24-6.  

 

The win for FSW sets up round four with #2 Indian River Friday in the semifinals.  The Bucs and Pioneers will dance in act four at 3 PM (CST) with a trip to the tournament finals on the line.

 

If fans can't make it to Niceville for the game, the Bucs invite them to join other FSW fans at the Bucs official watch party at Buckett's in Fort Myers where 15% of all checks will be donated back to FSW Athletics.