MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University men's basketball team will host Claflin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the final of six straight home games.
The game can be seen on the Buccaneers Broadcast Network and followed via LIVE STATS.
Barry (6-0) knows Claflin (3-5) will present a tough challenge. The Panthers are coming off a five-point loss to Division I UNC-Greensboro last week. Three of their losses have come by five points or less.
Jarrod Denard is averaging 18 points per game, Marcellus Dunn is scoring 15 points and pulling down 5.2 rebounds, and Montel Williams is scoring 10.3 per game. The Panthers are averaging 72.2 points per game, while giving up 75.0. Barry is scoring 87.3 per game, and allowing 73.5.
"They're very talented and playing extremely well," Bucs coach Butch Estes said of the Panthers.
Claflin is shooting 40.8 percent from the field, while their opponents have shot 50 percent from the field. Barry is shooting 48.5 percent, and allowing teams to shoot 44.4 percent from the floor.
Claflin has been outrebounded by just over eight rebounds per game. The Bucs are outrebounding opponents by 15.3, which ranks third in the nation.
Barry will play in the Lynn Courtyard by Marriott Holiday Classic Friday and Saturday when the Buccaneers meet Clayton State and No. 13 Livingstone.
"I'm glad these last three games before Christmas are really going to challenge our guys, and hopefully we'll meet the challenge," Bucs assistant coach Justin Furr said.
LAST TIME OUT: Barry beat Ave Maria, 80-67, on Friday ... Magne Fivelstad and Savad Garner both had double-doubles.
SERIES RECORD: This marks the first meeting between the two schools.
EYES ON OPPONENT: The Panthers have lost three straight, but their margin of defeat has been slim ... Claflin has lost three games by five points or less ... The Panthers are coming off a five-point loss to Division I UNC-Greensboro last week ... Marcellus Dunn is averaging 15 ppg and 5.2 reb ... Jarrod Denard is averaging 18 ppg ... Montel Williams is scoring 10.3.
SCHEDULE HEATS UP: The Bucs will begin the tougher part of their schedule with three games this week against quality Division II programs ... Barry will play No. 13 Livingstone and Clayton St. in the Lynn Holiday Classic in Boca Raton Friday and Saturday in 5:30 p.m. tipoffs.
TOP 25: Barry is one of 25 unbeaten teams in NCAA Division II ... The Bucs will play two of those remaining unbeaten teams in their next four games when they face Livingstone and Florida Southern.
SSC PLAYER OF WEEK: Jr. F Savad Garner (Greenville, S.C.) was named the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week ... Garner had 20 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks, two assists and a steal and shot 9 of 12 from the floor in Barry’s win over Ave Maria.
TWICE AS NICE: Savad Garner’s SSC Player of the Week selection marks the first time in over five years Barry has had multiple league weekly award winners ... Jr. G Juan Ferrales was the SSC Player of the Week earlier this year.
DROPPING DIMES: Barry Jr. G Deric Hill has dished out eight or more assists in four straight games ... He is second in the SSC in assists (8.0).
UP THE COAST: Barry will play three teams from the three states north of Florida this week ... Claflin is based in S.C. ... Clayton St. is from Georgia ... Livingstone is from N.C.
LEADING LEAGUE: Barry leads the SSC in FT % (74.4), FG % (.485), rebounding margin (15.3) and offensive rebounds (16.5).
MAGNE-FIED: Sr. F Magne Fivelstad leads SSC in FG% (67.6).
5 FOR 20: Barry has had a player score 20 points or more in five games this season.
AMONG THE BEST: Deric Hill ranks fourth in the nation in assists per game (8.0) ... He is sixth in steals per game (3.33).
REBOUNDING WITH THE BEST: Barry ranks third in the country in rebound margin per game (15.3).
SETTING NEW STANDARDS: Barry is on pace to become one of the highest-scoring teams in school history ... The Bucs (87.3) rank second all-time ... The 1986-87 team averaged 90.3.
FIVELSTAD FREE THROW FORM: Magne Fivelstad is currently ranked sixth all-time in career free throw shooting at 78.7 percent ... He was 4 of 4 from the line last Friday.
FRESHMAN ON FIRE: Fr. F Adrian Gonzalez’s 11 field goals vs. PR-Mayaguez is the most by a freshman in school history.
FREE THROW PERFECTION: Barry was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line vs. Ave Maria ... The last time a Bucs team was perfect from the stripe was Jan. 8, 2011 in a 77-55 win over Florida Southern when they went 7 of 7.
SHARING THE WEALTH: With a long way to go, the Bucs’ 17.8 assists per game average this season ranks third all-time in school history ... In 1992-93, the Bucs averaged 18.7 per game.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Barry is on pace to become one of the best defensive rebounding teams in school history ... The Bucs 28.0 defensive boards per game ranks second in single season history ... The school record is 29.1 set in 2000-01.
BOARDING SCHOOL: Similarly, the Bucs have a chance to become one of the better offensive rebounding teams in school history ... Barry is averaging 16.5 offensive boards per game, which ranks ahead of the 1991-92 team that pulled down 16.0 rebounds per game.
FREE THROW FORM: Barry has a chance to become one of the better free throw shooting teams in school history ... The Bucs’ 74.4 percent currently ranks second in single season history ... The 2004-05 team shot a school-record 74.6 percent.
SHOOTING STARS: Barry is on pace to become one of the better field goal shooting teams in school history ... This year’s team is shooting a school-record .485 from the field ... The 1987-88 team shot .483 for the season.
BUCS RECORD WHEN ...
Overtime Games: 0-0
Home Games: 5-0
Road Games: 1-0
Neutral Games: 0-0
Night Games: 6-0
Day Games: 0-0
Leading at Halftime: 4-0
Trailing at Halftime: 2-0
Tied at Halftime 0-0
After a Loss: 0-0
Scoring 80+ points: 5-0
Scoring 70-79 points: 1-0
Scoring 60-69 points: 0-0
Scoring 50-59 points: 0-0
Games Decided by 2 points or Less: 2-0
Games Decided by 5 points or Less: 0-0
Games Decided by 10 points or Less: 1-0
Games Decided by 11-20 Points: 1-0
Games Decided by over 20 Points: 2-0
Outrebounding Opponents: 6-0
Opponents Outrebound Bucs: 0-0
Matching Opponents in Rebounds 0-0
Committing 10 or Fewer Turnovers 0-0
Committing 11 or More Turnovers: 6-0
5 Starters Reach Double Figures: 1-0
4 Starters Reach Double Figures: 2-0
3 Starters Reach Double Figures: 5-0
2 Starters Reach Double Figures: 6-0
1 Starter Reaches Double Figures: 6-0
Shooting 50% or Better FG: 2-0
Shooting 40-49% FG: 4-0
Shooting Under 40% FG: 0-0
Opponents Shoot 50% or Better FG: 2-0
Opponents Shoot 40-49%: 4-0
Opponents Shoot Under 40%: 2-0
Shooting 80% or Better FT: 3-0
Shooting 70-79% FT: 1-0
Shooting 60-69% FT: 2-0
Shooting Under 60% FT: 0-0
Opponents Shoot 80% or Better FT: 2-0
Opponents Shoot 70-79% FT: 0-0
Opponents Shoot 60-69% FT: 2-0
Opponents Shoot Under 60% FT: 2-0