ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Barry University men’s basketball team is in need of a change.
The Buccaneers meet Eckerd at 4 p.m. Saturday at McArthur Center in a game that will air live on the TRITONS NETWORK. The game can also be followed via LIVE STATS.
The Bucs are coming off their second straight loss, marking the first time this season they’ve lost back-to-back games.
“Our defensive intensity and consistency has to change,” Barry assistant coach Mike Bradley said. “We have to play defense for a full game.”
The Bucs surrendered a 16-point lead to Saint Leo at home last Saturday before giving up a 12-point lead at Nova Southeastern on Wednesday. Eckerd is mired in a two-game slump as well. The Tritons offense has been limited to an average of 52 points over those two games.
But Barry can’t count on the law of averages; it must buckle down in protecting the basket if the Bucs want to return to their winning start. The Buccaneers opened the year with nine straight wins, which was the second best start in school history behind the 2001-02 team that went 10-0 to open the season.
“We just have to put more premium on the defensive end of the game at both ends of the court, instead of playing it in spurts,” said Bradley, who is responsible for overseeing Barry’s defensive efforts.
The Bucs are giving up an average of 75.8 points per game. Barry is outrebounding opponents by nearly 10 per game, which ranks ninth in the nation.
Juan Ferrales is shooting 44 percent from beyond the 3-point line while scoring 17.2 points per game. Adrian Gonzalez is scoring 14.2 points off the bench, and Magne Fivelstad is averaging 12.3 points and 7.9 rebounds. Yunio Barrueta is good for 12 points and 8.8 boards per game, and Savad Garner 10 points and 7.7 rebounds in a balanced attack in which Barry is shooting 47 percent from the floor.
Eckerd’s Jerrick Stevenson is scoring 14.1 points and pulling down 5.8 rebounds. Josh Snodgrass is averaging 12 points and 5.5 rebounds. Alex Bodney is scoring 11.2 points and Ray Darnell 10.4.
Eckerd is the only team in the Sunshine State Conference Barry first-year coach Butch Estes has ever coached against in his 31-year career. He won that game while manning the sidelines at Presbyterian in 1984.
Barry has lost the last two games against Eckerd.
GAME NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: Barry lost at Nova Southeastern, 72-70, Wednesday ... Yunio Barrueta had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
SERIES RECORD: Barry is 21-40 vs. Eckerd all-time ... The Bucs lost both meetings to the Tritons last season.
EYES ON OPPONENTS: Eckerd is coming off a 64-49 loss to Tampa Wednesday ... The Tritons have lost their last two, while being held to an average of 52 points ... Jerrick Stevenson is averaging 14.1 ppg and 5.8 reb ... Josh Snodgrass is averaging 12 ppg and 5.5 ... Alex Bodney (11.2) and Ray Darnell (10.4) are both scoring in double figures.
ESTES & ECKERD: Bucs coach Butch Estes has coached against Eckerd one other time in his 31-year career ... Estes’ Presbyterian team won that game, 83-71, on Nov. 26, 1984.
EBB & FLOW WITH ECKERD: Barry had won three straight games against Eckerd before dropping the last three, dating back to Feb. 2, 2011.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Yunio Barrueta recorded his fifth double-double of the season Wednesday ... He’s averaged 13.6 ppg and 11.8 reb in those five games ... Magne Fivelstad has three double-doubles this year.
LETTING IT SLIP: Barry let leads of 16 and 12 points slip away in the past two games ... Barry led by eight in its loss to No. 4 Florida Southern.
HITTING A LOW: The 70 points Barry scored Wednesday at Nova is a season low for the Bucs ... In the past three games, the Bucs have produced two of their lowest scoring games this year ... Conversely, Eckerd is coming off its two lowest scoring games of the season.
STRIPE STREAK SNAPPED: Magne Fivelstad had a streak of 13 straight free throws made stopped when he missed his only attempt from the line at Nova Wednesday.
ON POINT FROM THREE POINT: Juan Ferrales leads the SSC in 3-point field goals made per game (3.1) ... He’s shooting 44% beyond the arc.
TAKING THE LEAD: Juan Ferrales has led the Bucs in scoring six times.
SEVENTH HEAVEN: Deric Hill ranks seventh in the nation in assists per game (7.15) ... He is 14th in total assists.
BOARDING SCHOOL: Barry ranks ninth in the country in rebounding margin (9.8) ... The Bucs lead the SSC in that category by outrebounding opponents by that margin ... Barry also leads the league in offensive rebounds per game (15.6).
ASSIST-ANCE: Barry ranks tied for 13th in the country in assists per game as a team at 18.0 ... The school record for assists per game is 18.7 by the 1992-93 team.
BACK TO BACK: For the first time this season, Barry is coming off back-to-back losses ...Eckerd has lost two in a row twice.
3 OF 5: Barry has three of the top five rebounders in the SSC in Yunio Barrueta (8.8), Magne Fivelstad (7.9) and Savad Garner (7.7).
DOUBLE DOSE: Barry has had multiple players score in double figures in every game this year ... There have been two games when five players reached double figures.
3 FOR 30: The Bucs have had a player score 30 or more points in a game three times this season ... Prior to this year, Barry hadn’t had a 30-point scorer since 2008-09 when Erick
Nsangou and Tony Dennison each did it once ... The last time a Bucs team had a player score 30 or more in more than three games was the 2000-01 season when Jason Junker did it three times and Travon Broadway did it once.
THIEF ARTIST: Deric Hill ranks 12th in the country in steals per game (2.46) ... He is second in the SSC in steals per game.
FIVELSTAD FREE THROW FORM: Magne Fivelstad ranks sixth all-time in school history in career free throw shooting at 78.3 percent.
SECOND TO ONE: Barry’s 83.8 scoring average ranks second all-time in school history ... The Bucs’ 1986-87 squad averaged 90.3.
FREE FOR ALL: Every player who’s suited up this year has made a free throw for the Buccaneers ... Barry is shooting .717.
HONORING ENROLLMENT: Barry’s game against Lynn on Jan. 22 will honor the Division of Enrollment Management at the school.
GAMBERONI DAY TO DAY: Matt Gamberoni (knee) sat out the last two games ... He did not make the trip.
BOLANOS UPDATE: Derrick Bolanos is still sidelined, but is scheduled to resume practice activities next week.
AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: The Bucs are 1-1 against ranked opponents this season.
ORDER SSC TICKETS: Order your SSC Tournament tickets by calling 305-899-4823.
BUCS RECORD WHEN ..
Overtime Games: 0-0
Home Games: 7-1
Road Games: 1-2
Neutral Games: 0-0
Night Games: 10-2
Day Games: 0-1
Leading at Halftime: 7-2
Trailing at Halftime: 3-1
Tied at Halftime 0-0
After a Loss: 1-1
Scoring 80+ points: 8-1
Scoring 70-79 points: 2-2
Scoring 60-69 points: 0-0
Scoring 50-59 points: 0-0
Games Decided by 2 points or Less: 2-1
Games Decided by 5 points or Less: 3-2
Games Decided by 10 points or Less: 5-2
Games Decided by 11-20 Points: 3-1
Games Decided by over 20 Points: 2-0
Outrebounding Opponents: 10-2
Opponents Outrebound Bucs: 0-1
Matching Opponents in Rebounds 0-0
Committing 10 or Fewer Turnovers 2-1
Committing 11 or More Turnovers: 8-2.
5 Starters Reach Double Figures: 1-0
4 Starters Reach Double Figures: 3-0
3 Starters Reach Double Figures: 7-1
2 Starters Reach Double Figures: 8-3
1 Starter Reaches Double Figures: 8-3
Shooting 50% or Better FG: 3-0
Shooting 40-49% FG: 6-3
Shooting Under 40% FG: 1-0
Opponents Shoot 50% or Better FG: 3-2
Opponents Shoot 40-49%: 5-1
Opponents Shoot Under 40%: 2-0
Shooting 80% or Better FT: 5-1
Shooting 70-79% FT: 1-1
Shooting 60-69% FT: 4-1
Shooting Under 60% FT: 0-0
Opponents Shoot 80% or Better FT: 2-0
Opponents Shoot 70-79% FT: 2-1
Opponents Shoot 60-69% FT: 4-2
Opponents Shoot Under 60% FT: 2-0