TAMPA, Fla.- The #23 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers built a 22 point third quarter lead before hanging on late to down the Hillsborough Hawks 76-64 Wednesday night in Tampa to remain unbeaten in Southern Cnference play.  

 

It was an exciting start between the Bucs and the Hawks as the two teams traded baskets and the lead early on with five straight points from Macarena Retamales giving FSW a 17-13 lead five minutes into the action. The Bucs stretched their lead to as many as six before settling for a six point, 27-21 lead after one quarter of action.  

 

It remained a six point game to the midway point of the second at 33-27 and the Bucs couldn't build on their lead as a flurry of shots from beyond the arc for the Hawks found their mark and got Hillsborough all the way back to within two with 2:54 remaining before FSW upped their lead back to six at the end of two at 43-37.  

 

The Bucs came out on fire in the second half and quickly extended their lead to 14 after scoring the first eight points of the period. Their lead ballooned to 22 on a runner from Tashun Bryson, and it looked like the route was on with FSW leading it 66-44 with 2:33 to go in the third.  The Hawks weren't going to get blown out of their own building though and scored the final seven points of the third quarter to make it a 66-51 game at the end of three.  

 

Hillsborough continued to push into the fourth, trimming the Bucs lead to just nine midway through the period at 70-61.  It remained a nine point game with 2:58 to go when the Bucs decided enough was enough and dug their heels in on the defensive end, holding the Hawks without a field goal over the final three minutes of play, while cushioning their lead and finishing off a 76-64 win at the final horn.  

 

The Bucs shot a scorching 56% from the field and 57% from beyond the arc in the win while dominating the glass, outrebounding Hillsborough 51-22.  But the one category that allowed the Hawks to stay close was the turnovers where FSW had 27 giveaways on the night to just 11 for Hillsborough, allowing HCC to take 13 more field goal attempts in the contest. 

 

Jayla Murray led the Bucs with a monster, 26 point, 10 rebound double-double while Sariana Rodriguez broke out of a slump with 16 points and 8 boards.  Tyshonne Tollie set a new career high with 14 rebounds and Macarena Retamales flirted with a double-double with 10 points and 7 assists for the Bucs.  

 

FSW improves to 16-4 overall and 4-0 in Southern Conference play with the win while the Hawks drop to 8-12 overall and 1-4 in league play. 

 

On tap for the Bucs is a big one back home in Suncoast Arena on Saturday when they host the second place Indian River Pioneers in a noon tip in Fort Myers.