TAMPA, Fla.--Barry just couldn't get over the hump.
In what has become a season-long theme-like fashion, Barry men's basketball team found itself looking up, but just couldn't get over the top. The Buccaneers dropped a road contest at Tampa, 56-55, Saturday night.
The Bucs (11-11, 5-5 Sunshine State Conference) led by as many as five late in the first half, and never trailed by more than six most of the way in the second half. But despite forcing its seventh tie of the game on a pair of Jermaine Edwards' free throws with 1:29 to go, Barry couldn't crack Tampa's code down the stretch.
Ashton Graham scored for Tampa (6-15, 2-9) with 12 seconds to go as the Spartans went up by two. Justin McCoy sank one of two free throws for the Bucs with five seconds to play, but Barry couldn't force overtime.
McCoy finished with 13 points and two steals in 22 minutes. Evan White had 14 points, going four of seven from beyond the three-point line.
Barry was outrebounded, 43-31, a haunting problem that has plagued a team trying to break away from mediocrity all season. The Bucs have teetered around the .500 mark since the new year began.
Edwards had 12 points, three blocks, four boards, two assists and a steal.
Barry, which didn't hit a field goal over the last 2:19, outscored Tampa, 19-4, in bench points. The Buccaneers led 35-30 with 1:06 to go in the first half after Edwards sank his third free throw in a 17-second span after coming away with a steal.
Graham hit a jumper with 16:15 remaining as Tampa built its lead to six. Edwards scored on a layup, Levon Williams dropped in a free throw at the 11:12 mark to tie the game at 43-43.
Barry will play at Lynn Wednesday.