MELBOURNE, Fla.- In the first Citrus Conference Men's Basketball game in history, Dezdrick Lindsay scored a career high 33 points to lead the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers to an 82-78 win over #19 Eastern Florida State in Melbourne Saturday. 

 

The Bucs and Titans both came out swinging on Saturday in their conference openers with the teams trading baskets early on until a 6-1 run by Eastern gave the Titans a 13-8 lead four minutes into the contest.  The Bucs looked like they were in trouble as Eastern started getting things rolling, taking their largest lead of the night at 28-14 at the midway mark in the first. A big alley oop from Ahmed Soumahoro to Tyrone Baker in transition got the Bucs back to within seven and an old fashioned three point play from Dezdrick Lindsay moments later made it a five point game at 37-32 with 4:49 remaining in the period. AJ Hopkins found Cole Franklin for a three on the wing to give the Bucs their first lead of the afternoon at 38-37 with 2:44 left in the half, but Eastern got three of the final four points of the period to take a 40-39 lead in the break after an action packed half.  

 

The two teams continued to go toe to toe as the second half got underway, taking turns with the lead through the first six minutes. With 10:50 left in the game Yvens Paul rocked the rim with a huge two handed slam to put the Bucs up four but moments later Eastern regained the lead at 64-63 with 6:00 to go.  Tied at 66 later on, a tough lay in the paint from Lindsay put FSW back on top and a three from the sophomore two possessions later cushioned the Bucs lead to eight at 74-66 with 4:50 to go. Eastern got the next seven points to get back to within one and then took the lead on a drive to the basket with 1:45 to go, but Soumahoro skied for an offensive rebound and punched it home on the Bucs next trip down the court to put the Purple and Aqua back in front 77-76 with under 1:30 left.  The Bucs tightened the screws on defense and put the game away at the free throw line, finishing off an 82-78 win in their conference opener.  

 

Lindsay finished with a career high 33 to lead the way for the Bucs while Franklin had 15 and Soumahoro chipped in 10 in the win. No other stats were available at time of release. 

 

FSW improves to 10-4 overall and opens Citrus Conference play at 1-0 while Eastern falls to 12-3 overall and 0-1 in league action. 

 

The Bucs will jump out of conference play for a moment on Wednesday when they travel to Lake Worth to take on Palm Beach State before getting back into Citrus action next Saturday when they host Hillsborough in Suncoast Arena in a 2 PM start.