Buccaneers end two game skid, longest since 2016-17 season
March 29, 2021FORT MYERS, Fla.– The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers finished the regular season on a high note Monday night in Suncoast Credit Union Arena, blowing out the visiting State College of Florida Manatees 96-75 to close the regular season 17-4. Five FSW sophomores played their final career games at home in Fort Myers with four of the five scoring in double figures in the win.
The Bucs took control of the game early and never looked back, jumping in front 12-7 on a three from CJ Lane four minutes in and pushing their lead to eight moments later when Lane drilled a three and was fouled, completing a rare four points play to put the Bucs up 25-17. FSW stretched the lead to double digits on a triple in transition from Jaden Campbell and blew it open to a 17 point game at 46-29 when Jonathan Dos Anjos grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back in with 3:59 to go in the half. The Bucs hit the 50 point mark as Terry Roberts blew past a defender for an easy two and at the end of 20 minutes of action it was all FSW, leading SCF 55-40.
The Bucs continued to lead big most of the second half, ripping off an early 6-0 run to cushion their lead to 19 midway through the second. The Bucs went up 20 for the first time on the night on a drive and score from Kario Oquendo with 4:20 left and opened it up to as many as 24 before finishing the Manatees off 96-75 at the final horn.
SCF never slowed the Bucs down as FSW shot 50% from the field and were 20 of 21 from the free throw line in the win. Roberts had a monster game for the Bucs in his curtain call in Fort Myers, going for 24 points and a career high 13 assists. Dos Anjos just missed his third straight double-double, finishing with 17 points and 9 rebounds, while Oquendo finished with 16 points, and Campbell and Lane reached double figures with 14 and 13 respectively.
The Bucs finish the regular season 17-4 overall and 9-3 in their first season in the Southern Conference while State College of Florida falls to 11-7 overall and 7-5 in conference play after their third loss this season to FSW.
Next up for the Bucs is a trip to the FCSAA State Tournament in Niceville. FSW will begin their postseason run on Thursday, April 8th and will find out their opponent of the seeded tournament later this week.
Roy Allen, Southwestern Florida State, Sports Information Director, 239-443-6922 email: rallen12@fsw.edu
