DAVIE, Fla. – Back in the summer, Barry coach Bill Sullivan suspected Nova Southeastern would be the team to beat in the Sunshine State Conference.
His Buccaneer women’s basketball team found out the hard way Wednesday as Barry lost to the host Sharks at University Center, 89-43.
Barry (10-7, 2-6 SSC) had an early first-half lead, but No. 23 Nova Southeastern (14-4, 6-2) turned up its defense and got hot from beyond the three-point arc.
The Bucs fell behind 53-23 when Nova’s Richelle Carach scored with 15:23 left. Barry’s Ella Ramonas came in and knocked down a three-pointer, and the Bucs forced a shot clock violation with stout defense. Champ Horice then answered at the other end for a layup as the Bucs cut the deficit to 25.
Nova widened its lead to 71-33 before Barry’s Stephanie Ball converted a three-point play with 6:29 left. But Nova never took its foot off the pedal, running away with it.
The Sharks hit 13 of 30 three-pointers, and shot 55 percent overall from the field. Barry was 3 for 10 from beyond the arc, and hit 33 percent of its shots from the floor.
Barry led 10-7 when Tyler Hardy scored with 14:57 to play in the first half. But Nova went on a 27-7 run over the rest of the half to take a 34-17 lead at intermission.
The Buccaneers hit six of 26 field goals in the first half for 23 percent. The Sharks were 13 of 27 for 48 percent. Barry outrebounded Nova, 18-17, in the opening half.
Nova had 10 first-half assists. Barry was credited with just one. The Buccaneers finished with five assists. Nova was given credit for 27.
Hardy had 14 points. Kaley Howard had six points and eight rebounds. Ramonas had six points.
Barry will play at Florida Tech 2 p.m. Saturday in Melbourne.
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN 89, BARRY 43
BARRY (10-7, 2-6 SSC)
HARDY, Tyler 6-14 2-2 14; HOWARD, Kaley 3-11 0-0 6; RAMONAS, Ella 2-4 0-0 6;
DIXON, Dominique 1-2 2-2 5; SCHAHCZINSKI, Emily 2-2 0-0 4; EULE, Colette 0-3
3-4 3; BALL, Stephanie 1-3 1-1 3; HORICE, Champ 1-3 0-0 2; PISCONERI, Danika
0-0 0-0 0; FRONTINO, Amanda 0-0 0-0 0; JENKINS, Alesha 0-2 0-0 0; PEREZ,
Jackie 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 16-48 8-9 43.
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN (14-4, 6-2 SSC)
PORTER, Meixandra 7-13 1-2 19; BUIE, Taylor 6-11 1-2 17; BURAKOSKI, Amanda
4-6 0-0 10; JONES, Tailor 4-5 2-2 10; CARACH, Richelle 4-6 2-2 10; BLOMER,
Molly 2-3 2-2 8; ROBINSON, Danielle 3-9 2-2 8; RUSSI, Jessica 1-3 0-0 3;
SALMIO, Julia 1-2 0-0 2; MURPHY, Alexis 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 33-60 10-12 89.
Barry......................... 17 26 - 43
Nova Southeastern............. 34 55 - 89
3-point goals--Barry 3-10 (RAMONAS, Ella 2-4; DIXON, Dominique 1-2; EULE,
Colette 0-1; PEREZ, Jackie 0-3), Nova Southeastern 13-30 (BUIE, Taylor 4-8;
PORTER, Meixandra 4-7; BURAKOSKI, Amanda 2-4; BLOMER, Molly 2-3; RUSSI,
Jessica 1-3; MURPHY, Alexis 0-1; ROBINSON, Danielle 0-3; JONES, Tailor 0-1).
Fouled out--Barry-None, Nova Southeastern-None. Rebounds--Barry 28 (HOWARD,
Kaley 8), Nova Southeastern 33 (CARACH, Richelle 8). Assists--Barry 5 (BALL,
Stephanie 2), Nova Southeastern 27 (JONES, Tailor 8). Total fouls--Barry 14,
Nova Southeastern 10. Technical fouls--Barry-None, Nova Southeastern-None.
A-251