FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #19 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers protected their home turf on Friday in Suncoast Arena, holding the visiting Santa Fe Saints to just 29% shooting while forcing the Saints into 19 turnovers in a 75-57 victory to kick off the Bucs Club Classic in Fort Myers.  

 

It was all Bucs early on as FSW jumped out to a 10-0 lead 3:30 in and held their 10 point lead late into the quarter when Jayla Murray pulled down an offensive rebound and scored to make it 17-7 with 2:30 left in the period. A three from Macarena Retamales moments later stretched FSW's lead to 11, but a late bucket from the Saints cut it back to single digits before the end of one at 24-15. 

 

Santa Fe trimmed the Bucs lead back to six midway through the second quarter before a 9-0 run from FSW, highlighted by a three from Ronaltha Marc and another bucket on the inside by Murray stretched the Bucs lead to its biggest of the half at 40-25. A late three from the Saints pulled them a step closer, but after 20 minutes of action it was all Bucs, 45-33 as the teams went to the locker rooms at half.  

 

Natalia Tondi found Tyshonne Tollie on the break for an easy two and Sariana Rodriguez drained her third three of the ballgame to get the second half under way as the Bucs took their largest lead of the game at 50-33. Santa Fe made things interesting from there, outscoring FSW 18-9 the final nine minutes of the third period, but the Bucs were still in control as the teams went to the fourth, leading things 59-51. 

 

The Saints kept it an eight point game 2:30 into the fourth, but they would never get any closer as FSW went on another burst, this time an 11-2 run to stretch their lead back to 17 and put the game out of reach.  A late offensive rebound and putback by Tollie sealed things up for the Bucs as they polished off a 75-57 win in their 2021 home debut.  

 

The Bucs dialed up some defense in the win, holding Santa Fe to just 29% shooting on the night and forcing 19 Saint turnovers which they turned into 18 points. Murray led FSW on both ends of the floor, notching her first career double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds while Rodriguez and Retamalaes combined for 26 and each had 4 assists in the win.  

 

FSW improves to 2-1 on the year with the victory while Santa Fe falls to 1-3. 

 

The Bucs are back in action on Saturday at home in Suncoast Arena when they host Tallahassee in a 2 PM tip to bring the Bucs Club Classic to a close.