FORT MYERS, FLA.- For the first time in program history, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers finished their Suncoast Conference schedule unbeaten on Saturday afternoon at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. FSW wrapped up their 9-0 conference campaign with an 85-63 win over visiting Eastern Florida State, their 24th consecutive win to end the regular season 28-2.
This one was far from the cake walk the Bucs had been used to at home over the past couple of months. Eastern came out ready to go with their playoff lives on the line and held a 10-8 lead four minutes in. The Bucs fell behind by three later in the quarter and it wasn't until back to back buckets from Simone Lett that they regained an 18-17 lead. The Titans split a pair of free throws with just one second remaining in the first and after one quarter of action, the two teams were knotted at 18.
FSW shot just 33% in the quarter after starting the game 0 for 7 while Eastern shot 50% from the floor, but committed nine turnovers, leading to 10 points for the Bucs.
Eastern scored the first bucket of the second quarter to pull back in front, but FSW went on an 8-0 run from there, turning a 20-18 deficit into a 26-20 lead with 7:25 remaining in the half. Taylor Williams scored seven straight for FSW late in the quarter to push the Buc lead to a dozen and the Purple and Aqua cruised to the locker rooms at the break leading the Titans 43-31.
Neither team got anything going offensively in the first half, the Bucs shooting just 35% and Eastern only a tick better at 36%. Tina Stephens led all scorers with 12 while Williams and Lett provided a spark off the FSW bench with 13 combined points.
Slowly FSW padded their cushion as the second half began, using a 10-0 run in a span of just 1:35 to open things up to 62-39 midway through the third. Lett pushed the lead to a game high 25 with a bucket, but Eastern narrowed the gap to 19 before the end of the quarter at 68-49.
Stephens took over for the Bucs in the fourth, making a bold case for her second straight Suncoast Conference Player of the Year award next week. She finished a three point play the old fashioned way to stretch the lead to 22 and moments later gave the Bucs their biggest lead of the night at 26. The FSW bench took it from there as Naiya White, playing in her final home game with the Bucs scored the final four for FSW as they went on to win 85-63.
The Bucs shot a season low 37% in the win and went just 2 for 18 from three point land. They dominated in the paint though, outscoring Eastern 48-28 down low and got 34 second chance point to just six for the Titans.
Stephens led FSW with 25 points and seven rebounds on Sophomore Day while Za'Nautica Downs added 13 and Shondell Vickers had seven points and 10 rebounds.
The Bucs finish the regular season 28-2 and go 9-0 in Suncoast Conference play to win the league by an almost unbelievable full six games. Eastern Florida drops to 14-14 overall and 3-6 in conference play. Their hopes to continue the season will hinge on a decision made by the conference after an in-game altercation during the St. Petersburg vs. Hillsborough game on Saturday.
FSW will enjoy a prolonged break, not taking the court again until March 6th when they travel to Ocala for the FCSAA/Region VIII Tournament. The Bucs will square off with Broward for the fourth time this season in the first round in the first game of the tournament at 1 PM.