FORT MYERS, FLA.- The #10 FSW Bucs were about as consistent as they could have been Saturday night in Suncoast Credit Union Arena where they took on Combine Academy in their second game of the young season. The Bucs outscored the Goats 45-34 in the first half and 45-35 in the second to come away with a 90-69 win to improve to 2-0 on the year.
Combine Academy got off to a quick start, scoring on their first two possessions to take an early 4-0 lead, but the Bucs answered right back, scoring the next eight to grab an 8-4 lead five minutes into the contest.
After the Goats scored to stop the FSW run, the Bucs went on another jaunt, holding Combine without a field goal for the next five minutes as they opened up a 21-8 lead. During the second run, the Bucs benefitted by three straight three pointers from Destin James, Tyler Morman, and Keon Ellis to go in front by a baker's dozen.
Combine trimmed the Buc lead back to just six at the 7:30 mark, but Charles Manning Jr. quickly got FSW back on track, knifing through the lane and throwing one down with authority to stretch the lead back to double digits moments later.
At the half it was a 45-34 game in favor of FSW as they shot 61% from the field and held the Goats to just 37% on the other end. 10 different players scored in the half for the Bucs including Manning Jr. who had a game high eight at the break on a perfect 4 of 4 shooting.
A pair of threes from James early in the second half pushed the FSW lead to 16 and an offensive rebound and putback from DeShawn Thomas made it a 66-46 game with 11:01 remaining.
Ellis gave the Bucs their largest lead of the game at 23 with 9:11 left on the clock and FSW cruised from there, finishing off a 90-69 victory to improve to 2-0 on the year.
It was an efficient offensive contest for the Bucs who shot 67% in the second half and 64% overall in the win. On the defensive end their numbers were strong as well as they held Combine to just 35% shooting and forced 16 Goat turnovers. Four different Bucs reached double figures in scoring including Manning Jr. who had a game high 19 and Maddox Daniels who finished with 13.
FSW remains unbeaten at 2-0 on the early season while Combine Academy drops to 0-2 against Sunshine State foes.
The Bucs will lace them up again on Tuesday when they square off against Broward in a 7:30 tip at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
#10 FSW/COMBINE ACADEMY BOX SCORE
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SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION ARENA
The Buccaneers compete in the brand new Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Suncoast Credit Union Arena is approximately 75,000 square feet and is home to the FSW basketball teams and a student athletic center. The arena seats approximately 3,300 fans and includes six skyboxes, a hospitality event center, competition courts that convert into recreational courts, athletic office space, student, faculty and staff wellness, and an athletic center with a fitness pavilion, men's and women's locker rooms and a weight training area. The arena has two Daktronics displays, on the north and south walls, that each measure 10 feet high by 20 feet wide. Both displays incorporate variable content zoning to each show one large image or they can be divided into multiple windows to show any variety of live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages. One-hundred feet of ribbon displays have been installed on the east and west walls of the arena. The ribbons provide the opportunity to supplement the content on the main displays as well as highlight sponsors throughout events.