MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University seniors Magne Fivelstad and Garrett Naughton will play their final game at Health & Sports Center 6 p.m. Saturday when the Buccaneers men's basketball team hosts Rollins on Senior Day.
Following Saturday's women's game vs. No. 14 Rollins at 4 p.m., Barry University will hold a special Make-A-Wish presentation. Make-A-Wish is an NCAA fundraising initiative to grant wishes to local kids with severe medical conditions. All of the gate and concessions proceeds from this weekend's games, including the three-day baseball series beginning 6 p.m. Friday will benefit the Make-A-Wish foundation. To donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation click HERE.
This weekend's games also mark the conclusion to Homecoming Week.
Fivelstad, who was named to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District Team, is averaging 11 points and 7.2 rebounds, while shooting 56 percent from the field and 84 percent from the free throw line. Naughton is shooting 53 percent from the floor in limited time. He had a season-best seven points at Saint Leo two weeks ago.
"Magne is a very consistent player player, (he provides) great leadership," first-year Barry coach Butch Estes said. "He's a model of what you would want a Barry athlete to be. Just a hard-playing, hard-nosed, tough kid, good basketball player who takes care of his business off the court. Great student, great person. Boy am I really going to miss him. He was a pleasure to be able to inherit, and he's really added a lot to our success.
"Garrett Naughton, I'm sure it hasn't been the year that Garrett wanted because coming in your senior year you want to play as many minutes as you can, and he's had a limited role. However, his attitude on the bench has been phenomenal, and it's never wavered. He's been a great leader to the young guys on this team, he practices hard, and he's had some opportunities in some games, and he's made some significant contributions to us during game time."
Barry sits in a tie for fourth place in the Sunshine State Conference with Eckerd and Nova Southeastern, a win behind third place Tampa. Next week is the final week of the regular season. The SSC Tournament runs March 5-9 at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Fla.
The Buccaneers (17-6, 7-6 SSC) escaped Rollins (13-11, 7-7) by two points in Winter Park earlier this year. The Tars have won their past three, however, and beat Barry in Miami Shores last year.
Rollins senior Mitch Woods is scoring 14.9 points per game, while Alex Blessig (10.6 ppg) and Adam Allen (10.0) are also averaging in double figures. Barry has five players averaging double figures. Juan Ferrales leads the Bucs in scoring at 15.2 points per game, and Yunio Barrueta is the team's leading rebounder at 9.1 boards per contest. He ranks second in the SSC in rebounds per game.
Five of Barry's last seven league games have been decided by four points or less, one of which required overtime. Will it be more of the same Saturday?
"Most likely," Estes said. "I would think that every conference game is pretty much that way. This is a very talented team that's had a lot of big wins. A little disappointing season for them I'm sure compared to their expectations and the tradition that's been established at Rollins."
Barry is ranked fourth in the NCAA South Region poll. The top eight teams in each region advance to the NCAA Division II National Tourament.
"I don't know that we've been able to beat any team twice, so this is a challenge, as well keeping our regional rankings going, and our conference ranks," Estes said. "So it should be a very close game, very competitive."
GAME NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: Barry beat Nova Southeastern Wednesday ... Yunio Barrueta recorded his 10th double-double of the season.
SERIES RECORD: Barry is 18-44 all-time against Rollins ... Barry won the first meeting this year by two in Winter Park ... Last year, the Bucs won by two in overtime on the road ... Prior to that, the Tars won nine in a row.
EYES ON OPPONENTS: The Tars are coming off a 73-49 win over Lynn Wednesday ... Mitch Woods is averaging 14.9 ppg and leads the team in assists (82) ... Alex Blessig is averaging 10.6 ppg and 4.5 reb, while shooting 52.2 percent from the floor ... Adam Allen is averaging 10 ppg and shooting 48.6 percent from the field ... Jeff Dirkin is a 56 percent FG shooter.
ROLLINS ON A ROLL: The Tars have won their past three games -- all at home ... Two of those wins were blowout wins of 24 and 25 points verdicts ... The other was a nine-point win ... Rollins is 3-4 on the road this year.
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT: Following Wednesday’s three-point win, Barry has been involved 10 games decided by five points or less ... The Bucs are 7-3 in contests decided by two possessions ... The first meeting against Rollins was a two-point decision.
TWICE AS NICE: Barry Jr. PG Deric Hill broke Nelson Fonseca’s 1993-94 season assist record and Ron Johnson’s 1986-87 steals record Wednesday ... Hill now has 179 assists and 64 steals this year with three regular season and one guaranteed postseason game remaining.
AMONG NATION’S BEST: Deric Hill ranks third in the nation in assists per game (7.8) ... He is fifth in total assists (179) ... Hill ranks sixth in the country in steals per game (2.78) ... He is eighth in total steals (64).
DOUBLE DOWN: Bucs Soph. F Yunio Barrueta has 10 double-doubles this season ... He ranks 26th in the country in that category ... Barrueta has scored in double figures in 17 straight games.
STREAK SNAPPED: Sr. F Magne Fivelstad had a streak of 13 straight free throws over the past six games snapped Wednesday as he went 2-for-3 ... His 83.9 free throw percentage currently ranks second in single-season history at Barry ... He is second in the league in free throw shooting this year ... Since Jan. 8, he’s 42 of 45 from the line ... He been perfect in nine games.
HELPING HANDS: Barry ranks sixth in the nation in assists per game as a team at 19 ... The Bucs lead the Sunshine State Conference in that category ... The 19 assists per game ranks first in school season history.
THREE-POINT ARTIST: Barry Jr. G Juan Ferrales leads the SSC in 3-point FG made per game (2.8) ... Ferrales currently ranks sixth in 3-point FG percentage (42.1) in the league and eighth in school single season history ... He ranks eighth in school season history in 3-point FG made (64) ... He needs 8 more triples to move into the top five in school season ranks.
CLEANING THE GLASS: At 6-foot-2, Jr. F Savad Garner leads the SSC lead in offensive rebounds per game (3.4) ... Garner currently ranks ninth in school single-season history in offensive rebounds (78) ... With 12 more, he would move into the top five ... He is fourth in offensive boards per game (3.4).
MAKE-A-WISH: Barry will host a special event for the Make-A-Wish Foundation between the women’s and men’s game Saturday ... Make-A-Wish is an NCAA Division II fundraising initiative to grant wishes to local kids with severe medical conditions ... Barry is raising funds to grant three area kids wishes ... To donate, call 305-899-4823.
SSC TICKETS: Fans can order Sunshine State Conference Tournament tickets for the Mar. 5-9 postseason tourney in Kissimmee, Fla., by calling 305-899-4823 or visiting the SSC website at www.sunshinestateconference.com
TOP 5 IN SCHOOL HISTORY: This year’s team ranks fourth in school single season history in free throw percentage (72.5) ... Barry is fifth in scoring (81.3), fifth in FG percentage (47.2) and fifth in 3-point percentage (37.4)
ALL BUT ONE: Barry’s had multiple players score in double figures in every game this year ... In all but one game -- the loss at Saint Leo -- at least two starters have reached double figures.
SENIOR DAY: Saturday marks the last home game of the year ... Seniors Magne Fivelstad and Garrett Naughton will close their careers at Barry’s Health & Sports Center.
FIVELSTAD RANKINGS: Barry school career rankings -- 4th FT % (80.7) ... 8th Reb. Ave. (6.6) ... 8th Def. Reb. Ave. (4.5).
NAUGHTY BY NATURE: Sr. Garrett Naughton matched his career-high of seven points at Saint Leo on Feb. 8 ... He has scored in six games this year.
BUCS RECORD WHEN ...
Overtime Games: 1-0
Home Games: 11-2
Road Games: 4-4
Neutral Games: 0-0
Night Games: 15-2
Day Games: 3-4
Leading at Halftime: 12-4
Trailing at Halftime: 5-2
Tied at Halftime: 0-0
After a Loss: 5-1
Scoring 80+ points: 11-2
Scoring 70-79 points: 5-2
Scoring 60-69 points: 1-1
Scoring 50-59 points: 0-1
Games Decided by 2 points or Less: 3-3
Games Decided by 5 points or Less: 7-3
Games Decided by 10 points or Less: 10-4
Games Decided by 11-20 Points: 4-2
Games Decided by over 20 Points: 3-0
Outrebounding Opponents: 14-4
Opponents Outrebound Bucs: 3-2
Matching Opponents in Rebounds: 0-0
Committing 10 or Fewer Turnovers: 3-1
Committing 11 or More Turnovers: 14-5
5 Starters Reach Double Figures: 1-0
4 Starters Reach Double Figures: 7-2
3 Starters Reach Double Figures: 15-2
2 Starters Reach Double Figures: 17-5
1 Starter Reaches Double Figures: 17-6
Shooting 50% or Better FG: 6-1
Shooting 40-49% FG: 9-3
Shooting Under 40% FG: 2-2
Opponents Shoot 50% or Better FG: 5-3
Opponents Shoot 40-49%: 8-3
Opponents Shoot Under 40%: 4-0
Shooting 80% or Better FT: 6-1
Shooting 70-79% FT: 5-3
Shooting 60-69% FT: 6-2
Shooting Under 60% FT: 0-0
Opponents Shoot 80% or Better FT: 3-2
Opponents Shoot 70-79% FT: 4-2
Opponents Shoot 60-69% FT: 6-2
Opponents Shoot Under 60% FT: 4-0