Posted: Jan 03, 2023
FORT MYERS, Fla.- For the second straight night, a huge second half propelled the #25 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers to a blowout win in Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Tuesday. Bradley Douglas scored a game high 20 and Jemal Davis was a perfect 8-8 shooting and had 16 points as FSW hammered North Florida Prep 110-46 to roll into Southern Conference play on Saturday with an 11-4 record.
The Bucs didn't get off to the best start as North Florida Prep scored just two seconds into the game and FSW managed just four points in the first four minutes of the contest to hold a 4-3 lead at the 16:00 mark of the first. A pair of pure threes from Bradley Douglas got the Bucs on track and in the blink of an eye it was 19-5 FSW midway through the half. The Myrmidons cut the Bucs lead back to a dozen with 2:00 remaining in the period, but two more threes from Douglas cushioned FSW's advantage to 38-20 as the teams went to the locker rooms at the break.
After settling for 12 three point attempts in the first half, it was obvious what FSW Head Coach Eric Murphy's message to his team was at the half; get the ball in the paint. The Bucs did just that, scoring their first 10 points of the second half on the inside, opening up a 51-24 advantage four minutes into the period. AJ Hopkins picked up a steal and finished on the other end to give FSW their first 30 point lead of the night and they continued to push, upping their lead to 75-31 on a three from Dezdrick Lindsay midway through the half. The Bucs played above the rim for the final 10 minutes of the contest as Omar Rowe punched one home on a drive and Jadrian Tracey did the same moments later to put FSW up 88-38 with 6:00 to go. A free throw from Wesley Oba with 2:51 to go pushed the Bucs over the century mark and they would finish off the Myrmidons 110-46 at the final horn.
The Bucs faced little resistence from the North Florida Prep defense as FSW shot 67% in the second half and 60% overall on the night. Douglas led the way with 20 points and 5 assists on 7-10 shooting and 5-6 from three while Davis had 16 on a perfect 8 for 8 from the field. Lindsay added 15 and was also efficient, going 7-8 shooting while Tyson Brown notched his 10th double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes of action.
FSW moves to 11-4 on the season with the win while North Florida Prep falls to 0-5 against FCSAA squads with the lopsided defeat.
The Bucs now turn their sights to Southern Conference play where they will open up league play on Saturday against newfound conference rival Indian River with tip set for 4:00 on the back end of a women's/men's doubleheader at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.