WINTER HAVEN, FLA.- In what was a nip and tuck battle all night long, the #1 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers hung on for a 75-73 win Wednesday night against Polk State to claim at least a share of the 2019 Suncoast Conference Championship.
It was a battle from the get go between the Bucs and Eagles with neither team able to gain any headway early. Charles Manning Jr. kept FSW in the game with a big first half, but the Bucs couldn't distance themselves from Polk as the two went to the locker rooms at half knotted at 39.
The Bucs shot 59% from the field in the first half and held Polk to 45% shooting, but FSW committed eight turnovers and only forced four in the first 20 minutes.
Manning Jr. led all scorers with 17 in the first half while Destin Barnes hit a pair of threes and had eight at the break.
It continued to be a possession by possession game as the second half got going with Polk taking a two point lead on the Bucs with just under 8:30 to go. FSW came back to tie things up and then took a two point lead of their own with less than a minute remaining. Polk scored to tie the game with 35 seconds to go but on the next FSW trip down the floor, Barnes was fouled shooting a three and knocked down two of three at the line to put the Bucs up 75-73 with 4.9 seconds left. After getting the ball past half court and calling a timeout, Polk couldn't get a last second shot to fall and FSW escaped with a 75-73 win.
The Bucs shot an even 50% in the contest and held Polk to 36%. Maddox Daniels had a big second half to lead the way for FSW with 22 points while Manning Jr. had 19 and Barnes 13 in the win.
FSW improves to 24-1 overall and 8-0 in Suncoast Conference action where they clinch at least a share of their second straight title with the victory. Polk State falls to 11-14 overall and 4-4 in league play.
The Bucs will look to claim the outright conference crown on Saturday when they hit the road to take on St. Petersburg in a 4 PM tip.