MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Behind a women’s basketball record crowd of 1,637 in the Health and Sports Center, the Barry University women’s basketball team defeated Sunshine State Conference opponent Florida Southern, 61-53, Saturday afternoon in a game that was also broadcast on CBS College Sports Network.
Barry (12-2, 3-0 SSC) came out ready to play in the opening minutes, as a Mariesa Greene layup, followed by a Princess Bailey jumper and a Kristy Singletary three-pointer to start the game helped the Bucs race out to an early 7-0 lead before three minutes had elapsed.
The Bucs continued to apply the pressure, as they expanded the lead to the largest of the game,17 points at the 1:32 mark, following a pair of Shanna Suttington free throws.
Florida Southern (10-3, 2-2 SSC) cut the lead down to seven a number of times in the second half, but each time Barry had an answer.
After Megan Dzikas hit a trey to move the Mocs to within seven at the 11:08 mark, a layup by Greene helped boost the lead back to nine.
FSC would make once last run with three minutes left in the game, as they once again trimmed the lead to seven at the 3:22 mark on a layup by Tanja Speaker. But Barry quickly countered with a pair of free throws by Lucy Martinez to help seal the victory just two minutes later.
Greene led the way for the Bucs tallying a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Martinez added 14 points and Bailey chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds. Dzikas led the Lady Mocs with 16 points, while Speaker and Chelsea Johnson each had 11.
The Bucs will be back in action this Wednesday when they play at Nova Southeastern beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Newspaper Box Score
Florida Southern vs Barry
01/10/09 1:00 pm at Miami Shores, FL
At Miami Shores, FL
BARRY 61, FLORIDA SOUTHERN 53
FLORIDA SOUTHERN (10-3, 2-2 SSC)
DZIKAS, Megan 6-18 0-0 16; SPEAKER, Tanja 3-8 5-6 11; JOHNSON, Chelsea 4-14
3-4 11; HAWLEY, Michaela 3-8 2-3 8; FOLEY, Emer 2-4 0-0 4; DiRAIMO, Nicolle
1-2 0-0 3; WALSH, Danielle 0-0 0-0 0; FOGLE, Alli 0-3 0-0 0; McINTYRE,
Kirstin 0-0 0-0 0; THOMPSON, Krystian 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-57 10-13 53.
BARRY (12-2, 3-0 SSC)
GREENE, Mariesa 8-14 4-6 20; MARTINEZ, Lucy 5-11 3-4 14; BAILEY, Princess
5-12 1-4 13; SINGLETARY, Kristy 2-10 2-2 7; SUTTINGTON, Shanna 1-3 3-4 5;
SANFORD, Alisha 0-0 1-2 1; PALMER, Kia 0-2 1-2 1; HOUSTON, Yvonne 0-0 0-0 0;
DUNCAN, Kisa 0-0 0-0 0; O'MALLEY, Tara 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-52 15-24 61.
Florida Southern.............. 26 27 - 53
Barry................................... 40 21 - 61
3-point goals--Florida Southern 5-16 (DZIKAS, Megan 4-9; DiRAIMO, Nicolle
1-1; FOGLE, Alli 0-3; SPEAKER, Tanja 0-3), Barry 4-14 (BAILEY, Princess 2-4;
MARTINEZ, Lucy 1-5; SINGLETARY, Kristy 1-5). Fouled out--Florida
Southern-JOHNSON, Chelsea, Barry-None. Rebounds--Florida Southern 27
(HAWLEY, Michaela 7), Barry 43 (GREENE, Mariesa 11). Assists--Florida
Southern 14 (DZIKAS, Megan 6), Barry 17 (MARTINEZ, Lucy 6). Total
fouls--Florida Southern 19, Barry 15. Technical fouls--Florida
Southern-None, Barry-None. A-1637