MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – A thunderous dunk by Willie Whitfield at the 1:52 mark, followed by a block a minute later, helped power the Barry University men’s basketball team to a 62-58 victory over Florida Tech in Sunshine State Conference action Wednesday night at the Health and Sports Center.
The game remained close throughout the entire game, as Florida Tech built a lead of seven points at the 12:10 mark in the first half on a layup by Demtrius Harvey.
Barry (7-11, 2-6 SSC) quickly turned the game around, as over the next five minutes, the Bucs came back to tie the game at 20 on a layup by Erick Nsangou.
The Bucs kept the momentum going from a one-point halftime lead, as they boosted the lead to nine just three minutes into the second half after Whitfiled muscled inside for a layup.
The Panthers (10-9, 2-6 SSC) tied the game up for the seventh time at the 2:24 mark after Donovan Woodson laid in a nice assist from Demitrius Harvey.
Whitfield then countered with his huge dunk thirty seconds later off a nice assist by Nsangou.
A pair of free throws by Zach Trapp and another free throw by Jamaal Madyun expanded the Bucs’ lead to four which would decide the final margin of victory at 62-58.
Nsangou from the guard position recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Whitfield added 15 points and eight rebounds. Karega Tucker also scored in double-figures, as he added 13.
The Bucs will hit the road for another SSC game on Saturday at Saint Leo with gametime set for 4 p.m.
Saint Leo escaped the Health and Sports Center back on Dec., 31, as Jordan Prais hit the game-winning shot as time expired to give the Lions the one-point win.
Newspaper Box Score
Florida Tech vs Barry
01/28/09 7:30 pm at Miami Shores, FL
At Miami Shores, FL
BARRY 62, FLORIDA TECH 58
FLORIDA TECH (10-9, 2-6 SSC)
BALLARD, Ryan 6-14 5-5 21; CUMMINGS, Simon 3-10 4-4 11; HARVEY, Demtrius 3-5
4-4 10; HELLEMANN, Derek 3-9 3-7 9; WOODSON, Donovan 2-7 0-0 4; EGLITIS,
Edgars 1-5 0-0 3; TUCKER, Alvin 0-4 0-0 0; BEYER, Justin 0-0 0-0 0; JONES,
Jake 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-54 16-20 58.
BARRY (7-11, 2-6 SSC)
WHITFIELD, Willie 6-11 3-5 15; TUCKER, Karega 5-11 1-4 13; NSANGOU, Erick
3-5 6-10 12; MADYUN, Jamaal 3-8 1-3 8; MORRIS, Jeran 3-7 1-2 7; VISINKIS,
Bartas 1-3 1-4 3; TRAPP, Zach 0-3 2-2 2; ASTIGARRAGA, Bryan 0-1 2-2 2.
Totals 21-49 17-32 62.
Florida Tech.................. 28 30 - 58
Barry......................... 29 33 - 62
3-point goals--Florida Tech 6-24 (BALLARD, Ryan 4-7; CUMMINGS, Simon 1-6;
EGLITIS, Edgars 1-4; WOODSON, Donovan 0-2; TUCKER, Alvin 0-4; HARVEY,
Demtrius 0-1), Barry 3-9 (TUCKER, Karega 2-5; MADYUN, Jamaal 1-2; VISINKIS,
Bartas 0-1; TRAPP, Zach 0-1). Fouled out--Florida Tech-CUMMINGS, Simon;
HELLEMANN, Derek, Barry-None. Rebounds--Florida Tech 36 (EGLITIS, Edgars
12), Barry 38 (NSANGOU, Erick 10). Assists--Florida Tech 7 (BALLARD, Ryan
5), Barry 11 (WHITFIELD, Willie 3; NSANGOU, Erick 3). Total fouls--Florida
Tech 23, Barry 16. Technical fouls--Florida Tech-None, Barry-None. A-342