February 27, 2021
Williams' Monster Game Not Enough For Bucs Against Palm Beach
Patience Williams scored 32 points and had 18 rebounds, but it wasn't enough Saturday afternoon for the #12 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers as the Bucs were shocked at home 70-66 by Palm Beach State for their first Southern Conference loss of the 2021 season.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Patience Williams scored 32 points and had 18 rebounds, but it wasn't enough Saturday afternoon for the #12 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers as the Bucs were shocked at home 70-66 by Palm Beach State for their first Southern Conference loss of the 2021 season.
In a matchup of FSW who was 3-0 in conference play going into the game and Palm Beach who was 0-4, things started just about as expected with the Bucs jumping out to a quick 5-0 lead on a three from Sheslanie Laureano and a bucket in the paint from Patience Williams. The Bucs stretched their lead to seven later in the quarter when Williams grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled where she made two free throws to make it 16-9 FSW. The Panthers would respond though, scoring the final five points of the quarter to cut the Bucs lead to just two at 16-14 at the end of one.
Palm Beach scored the first points of the second quarter to tie the game up at 16, but FSW responded with a 10-0 run to go back in front 26-16 with under five minutes to go in the half. Unfortunately for FSW, they could not keep the momentum into the break as the Bucs managed just two points in the final five minutes of the period while the Panthers went on a 14-2 run to erase the Bucs double digit lead and take a two point lead of their own into the half at 30-28.
Ronaltha Marc scored early in the second half to tie the score back up and the Bucs and Panthers went back and forth and remained tied at 43 with 2:04 to go in the third. A three for the Panthers pushed them back in front before two more free throws for Williams made it a one point game at 46-45 at the end of three quarters of action.
The Bucs quickly took the lead back as the fourth quarter got underway as Macarena Retamales cashed a three from the wing to make it 48-46 FSW. Palm Beach scored the next nine to retake a seven point lead with 6:47 to go. Williams continued to try to single handedly will the Bucs to victory, running the floor and getting an easy two to give her 30 on the night and to cut the Palm Beach lead to just three with 5:29 remaining. A steal and score from Laureano with 1:29 left on the clock trimmed the Palm Beach lead to 67-66 but a jumper in the lane put the Panthers back up by three with just under a minute to go. The Bucs had two shots to tie it in the final minute, but both attempts were off the mark and Palm Beach hit a free throw to put the game on ice, stunning the Bucs on their home floor 70-66 at the final horn.
Williams went off for a career high 32 points and 18 rebounds in a monster double-double for FSW. She was the only Buc to finish in double figures in scoring. FSW got off 23 more field goal attempts in the game than the Panthers, but the Bucs hit on just 37% from the field and 29% from three point land in the defeat. Conversely, Palm Beach shot 55% overall and 75% in a 24 point fourth quarter to come away with the victory.
FSW drops their first conference game of the year to fall to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in league play while Palm Beach picks up a huge win to improve to 3-7 overall and 1-4 in Southern Conference action.
The Bucs will look to regroup on Tuesday when they return home to take on New Horizons Prep Academy in a 5:00 PM tip from Suncoast Credit Union Arena.