WINTER PARK, Fla. -- Barry University men's basketball team survived a tight one at Rollins, winning 79-77 Saturday. The Buccaneers (13-3, 4-3 Sunshine State Conference) overcame a seven-point halftime deficit by using an 18-4 run over the first 6:56 of the second half to take a 56-49 lead on a pair of Deric Hill free throws.
Trailing 74-73, Yunio Barrueta converted a three-point play to give the Bucs a 76-74 lead. Arie Williams sank two free throws with 11 seconds remaining to extend the Buccaneers lead to four before Rollins' Scott Schuette hit a pair from the line. Williams split a pair from the line to give the Bucs a three-point lead.
Rollins' Adam Allen hit the first free throw with four seconds left, and intentionally missed the second. After a scramble left Rollins (8-9, 2-5) with an inbounds play with 0.9 seconds left, Williams stoled the inbounds pass as time ran out.
Barrueta had a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds in his sixth double-double of the season. Hill scored 12 points, and had seven assists and three steals. Savad Garner scored 13 points, and Williams finished with a career-best 12 points and three assists.
Barry shot 75 percent in the first half, and finished 27 of 43 for 62.8 percent for the game. Both were season highs. The Buccaneers were 7 of 14 from long range. Rollins hit 60 percent of its shots, including 9 of 17 from long distance. The Tars were 0 of 4 from beyond the 3-point line in the second half. Barry was 1 of 5.
The Bucs were outrebounded, 21-18, marking a season low. It was just the third time Barry has been outrebounded this year.
The Buccaneers forced 26 Rollins turnovers, while committing 23 in a game that featured seven ties and 18 lead changes. Two players fouled out for the Bucs.
Barry will host Florida Tech at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.