January 25, 2020
Second Half Explosion Leads #14 FSW to Seventh Straight Win
For 20 minutes Saturday afternoon, the #14 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers struggled to find the basket, managing just 33 points against the visiting Hillsborough Hawks. That all changed as the second half got underway as the Bucs equaled their first half production in the third quarter alone and then packed on 29 more in the fourth to blow the Hawks away 95-66 for their seventh straight victory.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- For 20 minutes Saturday afternoon, the #14 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers struggled to find the basket, managing just 33 points against the visiting Hillsborough Hawks. That all changed as the second half got underway as the Bucs equaled their first half production in the third quarter alone and then packed on 29 more in the fourth to blow the Hawks away 95-66 for their seventh straight victory.
It was a struggle for both sides early on as the scoreboard wasn't needed for the first three minutes of the contest as neither FSW or Hillsborough had scored a single point. Za'Nautica Downs popped a three to get the scoring going with 6:55 to go in the first, but FSW wouldn't get another hoop until two minutes later when they trailed 4-3. Hillsborough took a two point lead later in the quarter before a late transition bucket from Nairimar Vargas-Reyes evened things up at 12 after one.
It remained a defensive battle into the second as neither team took more than a two point lead until Vargas-Reyes drove and scored to put the Bucs in front 26-22 with 2:57 to go in the half. A 5-0 run for Hillsborough gave the Hawks the lead once again before A'Moni Waiters came off the bench and gave FSW a spark with a putback to give them a 33-32 lead after 20 minutes of play.
The Bucs shot just 34% from the field in the half and hit on just 2 of 11 from deep for 18%. Downs led all scorers at the break with 11 points while Simone Lett added 8 points and 5 rebounds for the Bucs.
The second half was a completely different story. It was a two point game in favor of FSW 3:15 into the third when they exploded. FSW scored 18 straight points over the next 2:57, getting five straight from Cabria Lewis and a pair of deep threes from Downs during the run to take a one possession game to a 19 point game with under four minutes to go in the period. The Bucs ended up equaling their first half production of 33 points in the quarter, eventually taking a 66-51 lead as the teams went to the fourth.
The Bucs put the game away early on in the fourth, scoring the first six points of the quarter to take a 21 point lead. They continued to pour it on the Hawks, who had no answer for the suddenly high powered FSW attack as Lewis completed an old fashioned three point play to make it a 30 point game midway through the fourth before finishing off a 95-66 win at the final horn.
FSW shot 49% in the second half to finish at 43% for the game. Downs led FSW with 24 points while Lewis notched her first career double-double in the win with 12 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with 6 assists.
The Bucs win their seventh straight to improve to 19-5 overall and 5-0 in Suncoast Conference play while Hillsborough falls to 8-15 overall and 1-3 in league play.
FSW will step out of conference action momentarily on Wednesday when they host Florida National in a 5:30 tip from Suncoast Credit Union Arena.