WINTER HAVEN, Fla.- The #22 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers earned their sixth straight win Wednesday night in Winter Haven, jumping out to a big early lead and using a late game push for a 73-57 win over the Polk State Eagles to improve to 13-4 on the year. 

 

The Bucs put a damper on a big Eagle crowd on Blackout Night in the Health Center early on as FSW scored 15 of the first 17 points of the game to take a 15-2 lead just five minutes into the contest.  They weren't able to maintain the pace though as Polk slowly worked their way back into the game, trimming the FSW lead to just seven before the break at 35-28. Turnovers hurt the Bucs in the first half as FSW shot 53% from the field and Polk shot just 24%, but FSW turned it over 13 times in the first half, allowing the Eagles 12 more field goal attempts than they were able to get up in the period. 

 

Both teams came out of the break shot out of a cannon as they traded blows early on until the Bucs strung together a few stops to allow their lead to grow back to double digits at 52-39. Moments later the Bucs big men worked together on an alley oop as Tyrone Baker found Reis Jones for a throw down to make it a 20 point game and Jaehshon Thomas slashed to the lane for two to give the Bucs their largest lead of the game at 68-44 with 3:27 to go.  Polk made a push late, but it was too little, too late for the Eagles as the Bucs dribbled out the clock for a 73-57 win at the final horn. 

 

The Bucs dominated the stat sheet, shooting 47% from the field to Polk's 27% while owning the glass where they had a 53-38 rebounding advantage.  Jones led four Bucs in double figures, finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds as well as 3 blocks while Thomas and Cole Franklin also matched him with 14 point nights.  

 

The win is the sixth straight for the Bucs who improve to 13-4 overall and 3-0 in Citrus Conference action. Polk falls to 9-8 overall and 1-3 in league play. 

 

The Bucs continue a three game road swing on Saturday when they travel up the coast to St. Petersburg to take on the Titans in a 4 PM tip.