FORT MYERS, Fla.- The Gulf Coast State Commodores likely won't be on the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers' Christmas card list this season after knocking off the Bucs 80-68 to close out FSW's Rudolph's Roundup Tournament Sunday afternoon in Suncoast Credit Union Arena.  

 

Play was even early on as the Bucs and Commodores were knotted at 6 three minutes into the action.  A quick 7-0 run for the Bucs, highlighted by a deep three from Sariana Rodriguez gave the Bucs a 13-6 lead, but Gulf Coast roared back with a 13-5 run of their own to erase the FSW lead and take a 19-18 lead of their own late in the period.  Natalia Tondi picked off a steal and fed ahead to Jayla Murray right at the first quarter horn, giving the Bucs a 20-19 lead at the end of an entertaining first quarter between FSW and Gulf Coast.  

 

The Bucs started the second strong, getting a three from Macarena Retamales and another from Rodriguez to quickly push their lead back to seven at 28-21 with 8:11 to go in the half. The Bucs couldn't pull away though as the Commodores answered with another run to draw even and then take a two point lead at 37-35 late in the period.  A pair of Murray free throws for the Bucs tied the score at 37 before the break and that is where the teams stood as they went to the locker rooms at the half. 

 

After starting both the first and second quarters strong, the Bucs got off to a dreadful start to the third as Gulf Coast came out of the break to score the first seven points to take their largest lead to that point in the game at 44-37 3:18 into the half. A drive and score from Tyshonne Tollie broke Gulf Coast's momentum momentarily, but the Commodores continued to put pressure on the Bucs, upping their lead to 11 at 61-50 at the end of three quarters of action.  

 

The Bucs never threatened in the fourth as Gulf Coast pushed their lead to as many as 16 before finishing FSW off 80-68 at the final horn. 

 

The difference in the game came in turnovers and at the free throw line as 20 FSW turnovers cost them 21 points in the loss while Gulf Coast outscored the Bucs 23-9 at the charity stripe.  Murray led the Bucs with 16 while Rodriguez added 14 and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the completion of the weekend.  

 

FSW falls for the second time in three games to drop to 8-3 on the year while Gulf Coast remains red hot, finishing the weekend 3-0 to improve to 10-2 on the season. 

 

The Bucs will get two shots at redemption before the break as they travel to Fort Pierce next weekend to take part in the Indian River Classic where they will take on Tallahassee Friday before battling Santa Fe to close the first half of action in the 2021-22 campaign.