January 21, 2026
Big Second Half Propels Bucs Past Sharks
The Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers got off to a slow start, but exploded in the second half, defeating the Miami Dade Sharks 76-64 to improve to 13-7 on the year Wednesday night in Miami.
MIAMI, Fla.- The Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers got off to a slow start, but exploded in the second half, defeating the Miami Dade Sharks 76-64 to improve to 13-7 on the year Wednesday night in Miami.
The Bucs got the first four points of the night, but Miami Dade responded with a hot stretch of their own, outscoring FSW 13-5 over the next four minutes to take a 13-9 lead midway through the first. The Bucs tied the score at 15 with 2:07 to go in the period, but wouldn't score again in the first as the Sharks got the final four points to take a 19-15 lead at the end of one.
The Bucs started getting things going from the outside in the second as former Shark Kiara Harris hit a three to get the scoring going and Elina Briede followed suit moments later to tie the score at 21. After Miami Dade retook the lead, Rannon Suttle tied the score back up at 32 midway through the quarter, but the Sharks owned the next three minutes, going on a 9-0 run to take a 41-32 lead with 3:12 to go in the half. With their backs to the wall, the Bucs kept swinging, locking things down on defense, holding the Sharks scoreless the rest of the way to the break while going on a 7-0 run to cut the Miami Dade lead to two at the half 41-39.
Whatever FSW Head Coach Jamie Fisher said at the half to his team worked as Chelsea Bishop came out of the break and nailed a three to put the Bucs back in front and after a pair of buckets from Delfina Cergneux, FSW was on top 49-41. The Bucs held Miami Dade without a single point for the first 3:52 of the quarter and turned a two point deficit to a nine point lead in the period as after three it was FSW 59 and Miami Dade 50.
The Bucs crashed the glass early in the fourth with putbacks from Bishop and Cergneux to extend their lead to a dozen and midway through the quarter they remained at arm's length from the Sharks, leading it 71-58. Miami Dade cut it to a seven point lead with just over a minute remaining, but Bishop answered with a three to put the nail in it for FSW as the Bucs went on to win it 76-64.
Bishop led the Bucs with 22 points and 8 rebounds in the win while Harris put up 18 against her former squad and Cergneux scored a season high 15 on 7 of 9 shooting for FSW.
The Bucs take over sole possession of second place in the league standings with the win, improving to 13-7 overall and 6-2 in league play. Miami Dade falls to 12-7 and 6-3 in Citrus Conference action with the loss.
The Bucs will make a stop back home in Fort Myers before packing up and heading North on Saturday when they take on Santa Fe in a 2 PM matinee in Gainesville.