MIAMI, Fla.- As the old saying goes 'it's not how you start, it's how you finish'; well that didn't necessarily ring true for the #24 Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers on Wednesday night in Miami as the Bucs raced out to a 24 point first half lead, before hanging on late for a 74-64 win over the Miami Dade Sharks in Citrus Conference action. 

 

The first play of the game was a sign of things to come for the Bucs as FSW won the opening tip and quickly got an alley-oop dunk from Dezdrick Lindsay to Tyrone Baker to set the tone for the night. The Bucs scored the first nine points of the game and led it 21-2 eight minutes in after another thunderous slam from Yvens Paul. Miami Dade finally found some offense, but they couldn't slow the Bucs down as an AJ Hopkins three made it a 30-12 game with 7:12 to go in the half and back to back dunks from Paul and Baker padded the lead back over 20 with 2:48 left in the period. At the break it was all FSW as the Bucs shot 61% in the half to lead it 42-18 as the teams went to the locker rooms after 20 minutes of action. 

 

The second half was a different story as Baker was the lone Buc to make a shot through the first six minutes of the period as Miami Dade began charging back to try to make a game of it. A layup for the Sharks cut the Bucs lead to a dozen with 8:14 to go before six straight from Baker quickly pushed the FSW lead back to 68-50 with under 6:00 remaining. Miami Dade made things interesting late with a pair of threes in the final minute, but it was too little too late as the Bucs finished off a 74-64 victory to remain in the race for the Citrus Conference title.  

 

The Bucs shot a blistering 58% from the field on the night but did turn it over 17 times in the win. Baker led the Bucs with 23 points and 11 rebounds in the win while Paul notched a double-double of his own with 12 points and 13 boards. Lindsay filled up the stat sheet with 19 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds in the win. 

 

FSW wins their fifth straight to improve to 22-6 overall while moving to 12-2 in Citrus Conference play where they are now in a three way deadlock with Daytona State and Eastern Florida atop the conference standings with two games left to go. Miami Dade falls back to .500 at 14-14 overall while dropping to 5-9 in conference play. 

 

The Bucs will go on the road for the final time in 2024 on Saturday when they tavel to Fort Pierce to take on Indian River in a 4:00 PM tip off before returning home Monday to take on #7 Daytona State on Sophomore Night in Suncoast Credit Union Arena