FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #22 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers got off to a hot start and never looked back Saturday afternoon in Suncoast Credit Union Arena as five players reached double figures in scoring as FSW cruised past the Daytona State Falcons 77-60 to improve to 8-2 on the season.  

 

Tied at 5 out of the gates, an early 9-0 run for FSW staked the Bucs out to a 14-5 lead 5:30 into the contest.  Back to back threes from Phillip Smith and Jonathan Dos Anjos gave the Bucs their first double digit lead of the game moments later and they pushed their lead to 13 with 8:52 to go in the half when Dos Anjos scored in the paint out of a timeout. The Bucs took their largest lead of the half with 2:54 to go when Smith drilled a long jumper to put FSW up 38-21 but a pair of late threes by Daytona to close the half made it just an 11 point game at 42-31 as the teams went to the locker rooms at the half.  

 

The Bucs wasted little time to cushion their lead as the second half got underway, going up 52-33 five minutes into the period when Marcus Niblack knifed through the lane and scores on a highlight reel reverse. A methodical comeback for the Falcons drew Daytona back to within single digits with 7:06 to go after a three from the corner and it remained a nine point game at 65-56 with under 4:00 to go. That's when the Bucs went dunk city on former 'Dunk City' assistant Joey Cantens' Falcons as Bryant Selebangue flushed two home and Kaiyem Cleary added another slam to quickly stretch the lead back to 15 as the clock ticked down under 2:00 remaining. Daytona never threatened again as the Bucs closed things out in style with a throwdown from Niblack to seal a 77-60 win for FSW.  

 

FSW never trailed in the game, shooting 48% from the field while holding Daytona to just 31% shooting in the contest.  Five players reached double figures in scoring including Niblack and Dos Anjos who led the way with 13 and Jordan Mitchell who added a dozen to go along with a team high 4 assists. 

 

The Bucs improved to 8-2 on the year with the victory while Daytona falls to 5-7.  

FSW is back in action next weekend in Panama City when they take on South Georgia Tech and Gulf Coast State on Friday and Saturday.