BOCA RATON, Fla.--The Barry men's basketball team fell 56-55 to Southern Connecticut State in the Double Tree Suites Holiday Tournament at Lynn University's de Hoernle Center on Monday.
The Buccaneers had the ball with the score tied at 55-55 with 0:37 seconds left, but turned it over on the in-bounds pass and the Owls' 7-0 Alex Gambino hit one of two free throws with 0:04.6 seconds left for the win.
The Bucs struggled in the early going against the much taller Owls. Southern Connecticut hit 57.7 percent from the field in the first half, scoring 20 points in the paint, as they went into the locker room with a 36-29 lead.
But in the second half, the Bucs used the first five minutes to erase the Owls' lead. Phil Puccia hit a three-pointer with 14:29 remaining to knot the game at 42-42. But the Owls rebuilt a six-point lead at the 7:22 mark after a three-pointer from Devon Sullivan and a three-point play by Gambino.
The Bucs came back one more time, taking a 55-54 lead with 1:04 to play on a layup by Amadou Fall.
Puccia led all scorers with 17 points, while Melvin Triche added 14. Gambino led the Owls with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Sullivan chipped in12 points.
The Bucs have now lost two in a row in the de Hoernle Center after winning 13 of their previous 14.
Barry will face Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras on Tuesday at 5:00 pm before taking off until Jan. 4 for Christmas Break. They will be back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 4 hosting Florida Tech. That game has been moved from 5:30 pm to 4:00 pm, with the women's game preceding it at 2:00 pm.
Newspaper Box Score
Southern Connecticut State vs Barry
12/19/05 5:00 pm at Boca Raton, Fla. (deHoernle Center)
At Boca Raton, Fla. (deHoernle Center)
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE 56, BARRY 55
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE (3-4)
Alex Gambino 5-13 5-9 15; Devon Sullivan 5-11 0-2 12; Mike Yacenda 4-6 0-0
8; Jamal Cooke 3-4 1-2 8; Ktrice McNeiill 2-3 0-0 4; Kevin Diffley 2-3 0-0
4; Cory Hudson 1-2 0-0 3; Tomas Michalik 1-6 0-0 2; Danny Miller 0-0 0-0 0;
Deshawn Summers 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 23-48 6-15 56.
BARRY (6-3)
PUCCIA, Phil 6-14 1-2 17; TRICHE, Melvin 5-7 0-0 14; FALL, Amadou 3-11 1-2
7; SAUNDERS, Ryan 3-8 0-0 7; YOUNG, Eddie 1-5 2-2 4; WHITE, Otis 2-8 0-0 4;
WILLIS, Jeff 0-1 1-2 1; PIERRE, John 0-1 1-2 1; ASTIGARRAGA, Bryan 0-0 0-0
0. Totals 20-55 6-10 55.
Southern Connecticut State.... 36 20 - 56
Barry......................... 29 26 - 55
3-point goals-Southern Connecticut State 4-11 (Devon Sullivan 2-5; Jamal
Cooke 1-2; Cory Hudson 1-2; Tomas Michalik 0-2), Barry 9-23 (PUCCIA, Phil
4-10; TRICHE, Melvin 4-6; SAUNDERS, Ryan 1-2; WHITE, Otis 0-3; PIERRE, John
0-1; YOUNG, Eddie 0-1). Fouled out--Southern Connecticut State-None,
Barry-None. Rebounds-Southern Connecticut State 40 (Alex Gambino 13), Barry
27 (TRICHE, Melvin 6). Assists-Southern Connecticut State 14 (Jamal Cooke
6), Barry 12 (SAUNDERS, Ryan 4). Total fouls-Southern Connecticut State 11,
Barry 14. A-50
