FORT MYERS, FLA.- For the first time in six weeks the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers had a new number next to their name as they took the court as the #11 ranked team in the NJCAA on Wednesday. That seemed to have little effect on their play on the floor as five players scored in double figures and FSW topped the 100 point mark for the 12th time this year in a 110-63 blowout of IMG to improve to 27-2 on the year.
It was an up and down first half of action between the two sides as FSW jumped out to a 28-17 lead after one and took a 58-43 lead into the locker rooms at the break after a second quarter that featured 56 combined points.
FSW shot 49% in the half while IMG shot 55%, but the Bucs won the battle of the turnovers, scoring 28 points off of 17 Ascender turnovers to open up the big halftime advantage.
The pace slowed in the third quarter, but the Bucs were able to extend their lead to 24 at 79-55 as they held IMG to just 12 points in the period.
The tempo picked back up in the fourth on the FSW side as the Bucs clipped the century mark with two and a half minutes remaining and scored 10 more after that to come away with a 110-63 win in front of their home crowd.
Five players scored in double figures for the Bucs including Tina Stephens who scored a game high 25 on 12 of 16 shooting and Shondell Vickers who finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. Simone Lett came off the bench for 14 points in just 15 minutes of action while Tonysha Curry stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, six rebounds, and five assists, and Taylor Williams chipped in 11.
FSW wins their 23rd straight to improve to 27-2 on the year. They will play their home finale on Saturday on Sophomore Day in Suncoast Credit Union when they take on Eastern Florida in a Noon tip.