GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In Day 2 of the Best Western Gateway Classic, Santa Fe College women's basketball went toe-to-toe with No. 18 Florida Southwestern, but the Buccaneers edged the Saints inside the SF Gymnasium by a final score of 67-63.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Saints came out firing on all cylinders and held a 27-16 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

SF went 6-of-10 from behind the arc in the opening frame, three of which were hit by Malea Brown on her way to 11 early points.

The Saints extended their lead to what would prove to be the largest lead of the game, 30-16, early in the second quarter when Khaleah Douglas found her mark from deep as well.

In the blink of an eye, however, FSW turned the tables with a 21-2 run to seize a 37-32 advantage. The Saints' offense went dry and the Bucs' Jayla Murray and Macarena Retamales were able to get the better of the SF defense.

Defense has been the FSW calling card so far this season, and it limited SF to just eight points in the second quarter. The Bucs led 39-35 at the halftime whistle

SF got to within two points, 51-49, after a Selah Reddick second chance bucket in the paint at the 1:53 mark of the third quarter, and that score would remain as the two teams headed to the final ten minutes of play.

FSW never let the Saints tie or take the lead and were themselves able to claim their largest lead of the game at 11 points, 67-56, when Murray made a free-throw with 1:26 on the clock.

A basket and the foul from Brown, followed by baskets from Reddick and Delancy were the game's final points, but FSW was able to use the clock to their advantage to hold on for the four-point win.

UPDATED RECORDS

Santa Fe – 4-3

#18 Florida Southwestern – 5-2

KEY STATISTICS

SF outrebounded FSW 48-36 but were held to just 34.2 percent shooting from the field. FSW shot 42.4 percent from the floor in the victory.

All seven of the Saints' triples came in the opening half.

Brown finished with 24 points, five assists, and four rebounds. Delancy contributed 12 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Triniti Youngblood had season-highs in points (10) and rebounds (7).

Reddick's final line included seven points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, and Casey Lewis snagged a tied Reddick for the team-high rebounding total with eight of her own.

UP NEXT

The Saints have three consecutive road games, beginning Tuesday, Nov. 22 at Hillsborough. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Tampa.