MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – It’s being billed as the “Battle in Boca.”
No. 3/4 Barry University men’s basketball team plays at No. 16/24 Lynn 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Boca Raton in a battle for first place in the Sunshine State Conference. The Buccaneers (13-1, 5-0 SSC) share the top spot with the Fighting Knights (12-2, 5-0) in the league standings.
The game will be carried on the Buccaneers Broadcast Network radio with Danny Rabinowitz on the call.
“Lynn is overall, the most athletic team in the SSC, and very well coached,” said Bucs assistant coach Justin Furr, a former Lynn assistant. “Their size at every position makes them a tough matchup for us.”
Lynn leads the league in blocked shots and steals. The Fighting Knights are averaging 6.9 blocks and 13.8 steals per game. Barry is first in assists (21.1) and rebound margin (9.9). The Bucs and Knights are first and second, respectively, in offensive rebound percentage – each having grabbed 199 boards on the offensive end this season. Barry’s 21.1 assists per game ranks second in the country behind Indianapolis’ 21.3. The Bucs rank ninth in rebound margin.
Lynn’s Aaron Harrison is seventh in the SSC in scoring at 15.1 points per game. He ranks 11th in rebounding at 5.7 boards per game, and is first in steals at 3.1 per game. David Johnson is scoring 10.5 points, and Pavle Raickovic is averaging 9.7 points and 4.8 rebounds. Cory Thomas is shooting 65 percent from the field and blocking 2.4 shots – both of which rank second in the league.
“Looking at this year’s Lynn team, their guys have really bought in to Coach (Jeff) Price’s system, and it has resulted in several more wins and achieving national recognition for it,” Barry assistant coach Ryan Saunders said. “Their athleticism and pressure has really disrupted their opponents, causing an average of 24 turnovers per game, so taking care of the ball is going to be huge. Collectively, they have been finding ways to win close games both at home and on the road this year. They came back from 19 down to beat Eckerd. They went up to Saint Leo and won up there on national TV. So we expect this to be an extremely competitive game, and one we need to be ready for.”
Bucs point guard Deric Hill’s 8.4 assists per game is third in the nation. He is fourth in total assists with 118. Hill is 19th in steals per game (2.57). Junior forward Yunio Barrueta is 22nd in the country in defensive rebounds per game (6.71). He is 30th in double-doubles with six.
“We expect it to be a fast-paced game, which seems to be a style our guys are comfortable playing,” Saunders said. “With Deric Hill pushing the ball, attacking and finding guys, we are fun to watch. Our guys have been very focused the last few days in practice, and have been very sharp on both ends of the floor. That’s the mentality you need to have if you’re going to try and win games on the road in this league.”
Lynn is third in the league in scoring (80.7) behind Florida Southern (93.6) and Barry (86.0). The Fighting Knights are forcing the most turnovers in the league (23.8).
“They create a lot of turnovers with their defense, and really push the ball in transition,” Furr said. “We really have to be mentally sharp and focused on both ends to have success. They want to play an up and down, fast-paced game. It should be a great test for our team.”