FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #1 Florida SouthWestern State Men's Basketball team hasn't been challenged much during their 20 game win streak heading into Wednesday night's Suncoast Conference battle with State College of Florida.  They were Wednesday and survived a small scare, outlasting the Manatees 76-69 to sweep the season series on Sophomore Night in front of a good crowd at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. 

 

Starting five of their six sophomores playing in their final home games in Fort Myers on Wednesday, the Bucs got off to a hot start, taking a 13-6 lead out of the gates against the Manatees who have never beaten FSW in 12 tries.  The pace slowed and the Bucs had trouble sustaining their offensive attack, scoring just three points over the next 3:13 as SCF trimmed their advantage to just one at 16-15.  A 9-2 run, highlighted by eight points from Jermaine Marshall pushed the lead back to eight at 25-17, but that was short lived as the Manatees scored the next 13 points to take their largest lead of the game at 30-25 with 5:37 remaining in the first.  A big bucket from Jaden Campbell off the FSW bench broke the SCF momentum and the Bucs finished the half strong, erasing the Manatee lead and taking a five point lead of their own at 41-36 as the teams hit the locker rooms at half.  

 

The team numbers were close as expected at the break as both teams shot 44% while limiting themselves to just 9 combined turnovers in the first 20 minutes.  Marshall and Simeon Kirkland led the way for the Bucs in the half with 11 points each while Keon Ellis scored just 5 but made his impact in other ways, posting a +14 in the half.  

 

An alley-oop from Ellis to Berrick JeanLouis early in the second half got the Bucs going, but in short time, the Manatees drew back even at 45 a piece with 16:52 to go.  The Bucs went down low to Kirkland to steady the wagons on their next possession and he scored to put them back in front for good.  The Manatees stayed close, but the Bucs just wouldn't let them back in, holding a lead between four and seven points through the middle portion of the second half.  It was a six point game with 3:00 to go when Jalen Finch took over.  The sophomore guard, playing in front of a big backing of friends and family in his last home game as a Buc, made a tough layup in traffic and then pulled up for a smooth jumper to give FSW a double digit lead at 72-62. He wasn't done there, cashing in on a pair of free throws one minute later to seal it as the Bucs went on to win 76-69.  

 

FSW shot 50% in the second half to finish at 46% on the night while holding SCF to just 34% in the second half and 39% on the night. Marshall notched his sixth straight double-double and 10th in Suncoast Conference play with a team best 15 points and 10 rebounds in the win.  Kirkland came up big on his sophomore night, scoring 13 points and grabbing 6 boards for the Bucs.  Ellis and JeanLouis combined for 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists for FSW. 

 

The Bucs win their 21st straight game to improve to 28-1 on the year while remaining perfect in Suncoast Conference play at 11-0 with one game left to go.  After coming to Fort Myers without a conference defeat the first time they played the Bucs this season, SCF falls to 5-7 in league play and 19-11 overall with the loss.  

 

FSW will look to close out the regular season strong on Saturday when they travel to Winter Haven to take on Polk State in a 4 PM tip.