MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University men's basketball team used a big second half to beat Sioux Falls (S.D.), 77-50, in the Cesar Odio Thanksgiving Classic Friday night.
In the first meeting between the two schools, the Buccaneers (4-0) overcame a poor first-half shooting effort in which they connected on only seven of 24 field goals for 29 percent to outscore the Cougars (1-3) by 21 in the second half of a runaway win.
Barry is ranked No. 20 in the NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors of America media poll and No. 24 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches poll. The Bucs will host Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (2-6) at 7 p.m. Saturday in the final game of the Odio Thanksgiving Classic, named after former 18-year Bucs coach Cesar Odio. Rio Piedras lost to Young Harris (3-2) in the first game Friday.
The Bucs never trailed after the 18:47 mark of the first half, and led by as many as 30 with 4:41 to play.
Barry senior point guard had 17 points, sinking 12 of 13 free throws, and eight assists and four steals. Junior forward Yunio Barrueta scored 16 points, grabbed seven boards and had two steals in 28 minutes.
Sioux Falls, which shot 17 of 50 from the floor for 34 percent, was paced by Cutler Finneman's 11 points and six rebounds. Charles Ward had 10 points and five boards for the Cougars.
Barry sophomore forward Adrian Gonzalez, senior guard Juan Ferrales and junior center Tray Leonard each scored eight points. Leonard had five rebounds and a block, and Ferrales had four assists, a block and a steal. Sophomore forward Alvaro Simoza had seven points and a block, and senior forward Jevoni Robinson grabbed seven of the Bucs' 39 rebounds.
The Cougars had 34 boards, making them the fourth team BarryU has outrebounded this season.
The Buccaneers were 27 of 33 from the free throw line. Sioux Falls sank nine of 15. Barry was just six of 23 from long range, while the Cougars were seven of 22..
Barry was outscored 25-22 in bench points, but converted 19 Sioux Falls turnovers into 21 points. The Cougars had 13 points off the Bucs' 12 turnovers.