Posted: Dec 18, 2021
FORT PIERCE, Fla.- The #23 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers will head into the Holiday break on a high after a dominating 81-58 win over Santa Fe Saturday afternoon in Fort Pierce.
Things were even early on between the Bucs and the Saints with Santa Fe holding a 12:11 lead 6:30 into the action. From there it was all FSW. An offensive rebound and stick back by Jayla Murray started the Bucs on a 10-0 run to close the quarter, turning a one point deficit to a nine point lead at 21-12 at the end of one.
Santa Fe cut it back to a five point game early in the second, but another big FSW run, this time a 12-0 march opened up a 17 point lead midway through the quarter. A late bucket by Macarena Retamales before the half upped the Bucs lead two more, giving FSW a 46-27 lead after 20 minutes of play.
The route was on as the second half began as FSW pushed their lead to as many as 31 late in the third after a deep three from Sariana Rodriguez. A late hoop by Santa Fe put a nick into the Bucs lead, but it was still all FSW after three as the Bucs led it 68-40.
With the game well in hand , the Bucs went to their bench in the fourth and they put it away as Ronaltha Marc sliced to the bucket and score to extend the lead to 30 once again and Shaiya Rose scored on a backdoor cut to put the nail in the Saints coffin as the Bucs finish off an 81-58 win to send the Bucs to the break on a high note.
The Bucs shot 48% from the field with five different players in double figures including Retamales with 18 and Murray and Aaliyah Williams with 14 each.
FSW improves to 10-3 on the year with the win while Santa Fe falls to 8-5.
The Bucs will have some time to celebrate the win as they don't take the court again until December 31st in Lake Charles, Louisiana when they take on #25 Kilgore in the Bayou.