Posted: Dec 17, 2021
FORT PIERCE, Fla.- The #23 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers ratcheted up their defense Friday afternoon in the Indian River Holiday Classic, holding Tallahassee to just 37 points in a 60-37 win to improve to 9-3 on the season.
Things were close early on as the Bucs and Eagles felt each other out. A pair of threes from Natalia Tondi and a pair of early buckets from Jayla Murray gave FSW a 14-13 lead after one quarter of play.
Points were hard to come by in the second as Tallahassee had no luck breaking the Bucs defense down and FSW had an equally tough time, but got a pair of deep threes from Macarena Retamales to extend their lead to seven at 28-21 as the teams went to the locker room at half.
Murray dominated in the third, outscoring the Eagles 9-7 by herself as the Bucs cushioned their lead to 45-28 at the end of 30 minutes of action.
The Bucs put it in cruise control in the fourth, going to their bench to ride out the victory and that they did as Violette Skipworth had five in the period while Tashun Bryson hit a pair of jumpers to give her four to finish off a 60-37 victory.
Retamales led the Bucs with 18 in the win while Murray added 13 points and 5 rebounds. Skipworth pitched in 8 off the FSW bench.
FSW improves to 9-3 on the year with the victory while Tallahassee falls to 3-9.
The Bucs will wrap up the first half of play on Saturday when they take on Santa Fe at noon in Fort Pierce.