FORT MYERS, FLA.- Honored before Saturday afternoon's game, the Florida SouthWestern State Men's Basketball class of 2019 has been one for the ages. With a 78-65 win over visiting Polk State, the group wrapped up their two year, regular season career going a perfect 24-0 in Suncoast Conference play while defending their home court to the tune of a 35-0 record in two seasons.
The #1 ranked Bucs connected on their first shot of the day as Maddox Daniels drained a three from the wing and twin brother Mason Daniels scored in the paint to make it 5-0, but FSW was slowed from there, going scoreless over the next two minutes as Polk scored twice to make it a 5-5 game after five minutes of action. The Eagles took a 10-9 lead at the 13 minute mark of the half, but Jalen Finch and Keon Ellis jumpstarted a 12-0 run for the Bucs to give them a 21-10 lead at the midway point of the half. Terence Lewis II finished twice in the paint to stretch the Bucs lead to 13 and they took their largest lead of the half with 4:23 to go on an emphatic slam by Charles Manning Jr., but Polk whittled the lead back to just nine before the break at 40-31.
The Bucs shot an efficient 52% from the field in the half and held Polk to just 39% shooting. Eight different Bucs scored with Finch leading the way with eight in the period.
FSW came out of the break ready to go and on their first trip down the floor, Finch found DeShawn Thomas for a two handed alley-oop slam to get the Bucs going. Polk wasn't ready to go away though as the Eagles held FSW with just a single field goal over the next 3:51, slowly trimming the lead to just two at 44-42 with 16 minutes to go. A three from Manning Jr. put the Bucs back up five, but Polk just kept coming. With under 12 minutes to go, the Eagles knotted up the score at 54, hitting all three free throws on a trip to the charity stripe. However, the FSW sophomores weren't going to lose at home for the first time in their careers in their last game at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Manning Jr. got to the line and hit two to put FSW back in front and Maddox and Mason Daniels each buried threes to put the Bucs on top by eight, 62-54. With four minutes to go, Polk cut it to a six point game, but another three from Maddox Daniels put the game out of reach as FSW went on to win 78-65 to finish their second straight season both undefeated at home and undefeated in Suncoast Conference play.
FSW finished the game shooting 44%, while their top ranked defense held Polk State to just 38% shooting. Seven different players had seven points or more for FSW with Manning Jr. leading the way with 16 and the Daniels twins combining for 24.
The Bucs finish the regular season 28-1 and on a 17 game winning streak. For the second straight season FSW goes a perfect 12-0 in Suncoast Conference play. Polk falls to 13-16 and finishes the conference season at 5-7.
FSW will not be back in action until March 7th when they travel to Ocala to play in the FCSAA/Region VIII Tournament. The Bucs will take on the #2 seed from the Suncoast Conference in a 1 PM tip.