ST. PETERSBURG -- Barry University women's and men's basketball teams play at Eckerd Saturday in a return to conference action.
The Bucs women's team plays at 2 p.m. The men's game will follow. Fans can see the game on a pay-per-view basis by clicking HERE. Listen to both games on the Bucs Broadcast Network. Follow the women's game via WOMEN'S LIVE STATS. Follow the men's game via MEN'S LIVE STATS.
The Buccaneers women's team has won its past two, and takes a 9-4 overall, 1-3 Sunshine State Conference record into the game with the Tritons, who are 6-6 overall, 3-2 in the SSC.
Eckerd's Liga Vente is scoring 13.6 points per game and pulling down 6.1 rebounds per game. Annie Armstrong is averaging 11.2 ppg and 4.1 reb.
Colette Eule leads the Bucs in scoring (13.8 ppg) and is pulling down 4.9 rebounds. Jackie Perez is averaging 10.8 ppg and 4.8 reb. Tyler Hardy has scored in double figures in three of her past five games, and is averaging 9.8 ppg and 6.3 reb. Dominique Dixon is averaging 8.2 ppg and 5.2 reb. Kaley Howard has given the Bucs a lift lately, and is averaging 9.4 ppg and 5.0 reb.
The Tritons are 3-3 at home this year, and are holding teams to 59.2 ppg. Barry is averaging 64.2.
"They're a good shooting team, and they have a lot of good size," said Barry forward Amanda Frontino, who hit her first five shots in Wednesday's game and had 15 points and eight rebounds. "They're always moving in their offense, so we have to play defense for the whole 30 seconds."
Barry's men's team won two of three games against the Tritons last year. But this is a new year.
"This game will be a war," Barry assistant coach Ryan Saunders said. "Eckerd is one of the more physical teams in the conference year-in and year-out. They do a great job of getting the ball inside and rebounding around the basket. We must 'man-up,' and bring it on both ends for 40 minutes in order to pull out a win on the road. If we can win and avoid overtime that would be great, but I'll take a W however we can get it."
Barry's tension meter is high this year after playing in five overtime games already this season.
This game will feature the league's top two rebounders in Eckerd's Darrien Mack, the two-time SSC Player of the Week, and Barry's Filip Toric. Mack is averaging 7.8 rebounds per game, while Toric is pulling down 7.6.
Mack is scoring 16.7 ppg. Guard Alex Bodney is averaging 11.7.
The Buccaneers are coming off their first road win of the season in the overtime victory at Palm Beach Atlantic Wednesday.