MORRISTOWN, TENN.- To say the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers felt slighted when they weren't announced as part of the preseason NJCAA Top 25 Rankings may be a bit of an understatement. The Bucs certainly made their case to be part of the next rankings on Saturday, holding #2 Shelton State to just 28% shooting in a 58-48 victory, the highest ranked opponent the FSW program has ever defeated. 

 

FSW came out hot in the battle of the Bucs as the Purple and Aqua jumped out to a 20-12 lead against the Shelton State Bucs behind an 8 point first quarter from Jayla Murray.  

 

Shelton controlled the second, holding FSW to just nine points in the period, but the Bucs defense did enough to preserve a three point lead at 29-26 after 20 minutes of action.  

 

For the second straight half, the Bucs came out hot in the third, this time behind Natalia Tondi who cashed a pair of three pointers to help extend FSW's lead to double digits after three at 48-36. 

 

Shelton made a push in the fourth, but the Bucs held them off as FSW took enough air out of the ball to finish off a 58-48 victory. 

 

FSW shot 54% in the win and was 6-9 from three point land, but Shelton stuck around because of a massive advantage on the glass where they outrebounded the Bucs 35-21 including 16 offensive boards.   Tondi led the Bucs with 16 points on 6-9 shooting and 4-6 from deep while Murray and Macarena Retamales both reached double figures with 12 and 11 respectively. 

 

The Bucs start their season a perfect 2-0 with two quality victories while Shelton falls to a disappointing -2 with the loss. 

 

FSW returns home with the wins in tow and will take their home floor for the first time this season next weekend when they host a three day classic in Suncoast Credit Union Arena beginning on Friday when they battle John A. Logan from Illinois at 7 PM.  Bucs season ticket holders can pick their tickets up at the Arena Box Office on gameday prior to the game.