NICEVILLE, Fla.- The #20 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers dropped an overtime heartbreaker to the #14 Chipola Indians 63-61 Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the FCSAA State Tournament, likely bringing an end to the Bucs 2021-2022 season. 

 

Early on the game flowed as expected between two of the top defensive teams in the state as FSW and Chipola managed just a single bucket each through the first three minutes and found themselves in a 5-4 game in favor of the Bucs midway through the first quarter.  A pair of layups from Tashun Bryson and Ronaltha Marc late in the period gave FSW an 11-9 lead after one quarter of action. 

 

Back to back scores for FSW early in the second stretched their lead to six and midway through the period they held the six point advantage at 19-13. FSW stretched their lead to eight on a no look dish from Bryson to Tyshonne Tollie for an easy two and went up nine moments later before Chipola closed the half on a 4-0 run to cut the Bucs to 29-24 at the half.  

 

The Bucs shot 44% in the first half while holding Chipola to just 31% from the field, but FSW turned it over 10 times in the half to allow the Indians to remain in the game. The Bucs bench powered them in the first half as FSW's reserves scored 16 of their 29 points in the half including 10 from Bryson who matched her season high in scoring in just 12 minutes of action.  

 

FSW came out of the break ice cold, going without a single point for the first 4:49 of the period while watching their lead evaporate and Chipola take a three point lead of their own at 32-29. A three point play from Jayla Murray put the Bucs back in front by one moments later, but Chipola scored the next six to take a 38-33 with 2:18 to go in the quarter.  After the Indians took a seven point lead, a  jumper late in the quarter from Aaliyah Williams trickled in, getting the Bucs back to within five at 42-37 at the end of three.  

 

The Bucs looked like they may be in trouble as Chipola went up eight early in the fourth, but a driving layup from Williams and a three point play from Marc got them back to within three with 8:00 to go.  It remained a one possession game through the middle of the fourth and the Bucs got back to within one on another tough bucket from Williams before Macarena Retamales picked the pocket of an Indian guard and scored in transition to give FSW their first lead of the quarter at 52-51 with just over a minute remaining in regulation.  The Bucs picked up a foul on Chipola's next possession and the Indians went to the line hitting one of two charities to tie the score up at 52 with just over 30 seconds left on the clock.  FSW got a good look from three on their last possession, but couldn't connect, however, they crashed the glass for an offensive rebound to give themselves a second chance at victory.  With time winding down, a guarded shot was off the mark and the game went to overtime deadlocked at 52.  

 

Points were tough to come by in the extra period as each side had just a single basket through the first three minutes of action with the score remaining tied at 54. With just over 2:00 remaining in the first overtime and the shot clock winding down, Retamales drilled the Bucs first and only three of the night to put FSW up 57-54.  The Bucs got a big defensive stop on Chipola's next possession and the Indians were whistled for a personal and then a technical foul to give FSW four free throws and the ball, gift wrapping a golden opportunity to all but put the game away with 2:00 left in the extra period. The Bucs made just two of the four freebies and failed to score after the stoppage, but things still looked up for the Purple and Aqua as they led it 59-54 with 1:45 to go. Chipola drove through the FSW defense on their next trip down the floor and scored and then after a quick miss by the Bucs on the other end, the Indians hit just their second three in 23 attempts on the night to tie the game back up at 59 with exactly one minute remaining.  The teams traded clutch shots with under a minute to go to keep the score tied and a last second three was off the mark for the Indians with the game looking like it was headed to a second overtime, but the smallest player on the floor, 5'4 Ladajah Huguley slinked in and grabbed the rebound, throwing it up and in with 1.6 seconds remaining to give Chipola a 63-61 lead.  The Bucs had one last chance, but a desperation shot failed to draw iron and the final horn sounded with FSW stunned 63-61. 

 

The Bucs outshot the Indians 43% to 36% in the game, but FSW picked the wrong time for a season high 30 turnovers, leading to 27 Chipola points in the defeat. FSW also struggled at the free throw line, going just 12-23 while also making a season low one three pointer on six attempts. 

 

The Bucs bench kept them in the game all night as Williams posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, Bryson scored a season high 12, and Marc finished with 8 on 50% shooting. Murray tied for the team lead with 12 points as well while Retamales had 11 for the Bucs. 

 

FSW drops to 21-6 on the year with the loss while Chipola advances to the tournament semifinals at 23-7.  

 

The Bucs fate is now in the hands of the NJCAA National Tournament at-large committee which will make their selections Sunday.  FSW is in an unenviable position as despite being ranked in the Top 20 Nationally and having taken some of the top teams in the country to the wire this season, they are the fourth highest ranked team in the state of Florida and with the NJCAA's limitation of a maximum of three teams from a single Region allowed to go to the tournament, the Bucs chances to be invited to Lubbock are likely slim.