TAMPA, Fla.- With their backs to the wall in a must win situation, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers answered the bell Monday night on the road in Tampa, shooting 59% from the field and 47% from the three point line as they blew past the Hillsborough Hawks 99-72 in Southern Conference action.  

 

The Bucs were red hot early on as Jadrian Tracey scored FSW's first seven points in the opening 2:20 of the contest while Dezdrick Lindsay drove to the bucket and scored to put the Bucs in front 17-4 to begin the game.  The Bucs never relented as Tyson Brown scored in the paint to make it a 15 point game at 29-14 midway through the period and Bradley Douglas picked off a pass and raced it the other way for two to make it 38-19 FSW with 3:55 to go in the first half.  Hillsborough got it back down to a 13 point game with under a minute to go in the half, but Douglas found Brown for a slam before AJ Hopkins nailed a three from the corner to send the Bucs to the break leading 46-28. 

 

It was more of the same as the second half began as once again Tracey led the charge with five quick points and the Bucs outscored the Hawks 10-4 to begin the period to open up a 56-32 lead with 18:00 to go in the game. A highlight reel dunk from Lindsay with 15:30 to go put FSW up 25 and they were never threatened again, going up by as many as 29 before dribbling out a 99-72 victory at the final horn. 

 

The Bucs broke out of a major scoring slump, shooting 59% from the field and 47% from the three point line in the win with five different players scoring in double figures and seven putting up seven or more.  Tracey led the way with 23 points and 4 steals while Douglas returned with a 17 point effort and Brown just missed a double-double with 12 points and 9 rebounds. 

 

The Bucs snap a four game losing streak to keep their postseason hopes alive as they improve to 15-8 overall and 3-5 in Southern Conference play with the victory.  Hillsborough falls to 15-9 overall and 2-6 in league play with the loss.  

 

FSW returns home on Thursday on Veterans Night in Suncoast Credit Union Arena when they host #25 Indian River in a 7 PM tip in Fort Myers.  All active or retired military members will receive up to four free tickets by showing their military ID at the entrance.