Gulf Coast Ends Bucs Season in FCSAA Quarters
The Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers ran into a buzzsaw that was the #20 Gulf Coast State Commodores on Thursday, dropping an 87-59 decision in the FCSAA Quarterfinals to bring their 2025-2026 season to a close.
NICEVILLE, Fla.- The Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers ran into a buzzsaw that was the #20 Gulf Coast State Commodores on Thursday, dropping an 87-59 decision in the FCSAA Quarterfinals to bring their 2025-2026 season to a close.
It was a back and forth battle early on between the Bucs and Commodores as FSW got out to a 4-3 lead to begin the ballgame before four straight gave Gulf Coast their first lead of the game at 7-4. It remained a three point game at 12-9 in favor of Gulf Coast with 4:02 to go in the quarter, but a three minute stretch without a bucket for FSW saw the Commodores lead extend to eight before a last second lay in made it 24-14 Gulf Coast at the end of one.
The Commodores blitzed the Bucs to start the second, scoring the first seven points to quickly balloon their lead to 31-14. A three from Gulf Coast with 2:51 to go in the half pushed the lead past 20 as the Commodores were doubling the Bucs up 42-21. The teams played even over the final three minutes of the half, but at the break it was all Gulf Coast, leading the Bucs 46-25.
The Bucs finally found some rhythm as the second half got underway as Destinie Gordon scored six points in the paint and Damia Worthy hit a three to cut into the Gulf Coast lead. Rannon Suttle came off the FSW bench to pop a pair of threes and just like that, the Bucs were back within a dozen with 2:04 to go in the third. Gulf Coast got the final six points of the period, pushing their lead back to 63-45 at the end of three quarters of action.
Gordon continued her big second half with the first five points of the fourth, but as they did all night, Gulf Coast had another answer. A 9-0 run by the Commodores was all she wrote for the Bucs as their hole deepened before eventually caving in on them with Gulf Coast winning it 87-59.
The Bucs struggled shooting the ball all night, finishing the game at just 34% from the field and 27% from three point land. Two other telltale signs were at the free throw line where FSW converted just 10 of 20 chances and on the glass where Gulf Coast made the most of a big size advantage with a +21 rebounding margin.
Individually Gordon led the way with 20 points for the Bucs while Worthy added 16 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds.
FSW finishes their season 19-12 while Gulf Coast advances to the semifinals where they will take on Cinderella Eastern Florida who pulled a historic upset over top seeded Northwest Florida Thursday afternoon.