Men's Hoops Hope to End Skid vs. Lions

Men's Hoops Hope to End Skid vs. Lions
Orlando Gonzalez is trying to point the Buccaneers in the right direction. Photo by Joel Auerbach

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry men's basketball will host Saint Leo at 4 p.m. Saturday, following the women's game.

The Buccaneers (6-5, 1-2 Sunshine State Conference) have dropped their past two games. Saint Leo (10-2, 3-0) is riding a seven-game winning streak.

The game will be broadcast by Will Sanchez on the Bucs Broadcast Network. The game can also be accessed by Live Stats.

Saint Leo is tied for first place in the league standings. Barry sits in seventh.

Marcus Ruh leads the Lions in scoring at 17.7 ppg. He is shooting 49.1 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Jerrel Harris is scoring 14.1 ppg.

Barry senior guard Justin McCoy leads the Buccaneers in scoring at 15.1 ppg. Senior guard Bryan Van Cott is scoring 12.5 ppg. He is shooting 81.5 percent from the free throw line. Senior guard Chad Renfro is averaging 11.4, and is coming off an 18-point game.

Fans can participate in halftime contests.

 

GAME NOTES

LAST TIME OUT: Barry lost to Lynn 71-66 on Wednesday.

SERIES RECORD: Barry is 26-30 all-time vs. Saint Leo ... The Bucs lost to the Lions, 61-56, in Miami Shores in the last meeting Feb. 25, 2012.

EYES ON OPPONENT: The Lions beat Florida Southern, 71-63, Wednesday to remain tied for first in the SSC ... Marcus Ruh leads the Lions in scoring (17.7) and averages 5.1 reb while shooting 47 percent from the floor and 84.3 percent from the line ... Jerrel Harris is averaging 14.1 ppg ... Trent Thomas is scoring 13.3 ppg ... The Lions are riding a seven-game winning streak.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: Saint Leo ranks first in the league in scoring defense (61.2) and Barry is sixth (69.8) ... The Lions are first in field goal percentage defense (.372) and the Bucs are fourth (.411).

ASSISTANCE NEEDED: Barry and Saint Leo rank at the bottom of the SSC in assists ... Barry is eighth at 12.5 per game ... Saint Leo is ninth at 11.3 ... The Bucs and Lions are tied for ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (0.8) ... Barry is averaging 15.6 turnovers per game ... Saint Leo is averaging 14.1.

BOARDING SCHOOL: Barry ranks second in the league in defensive rebounds (26.1) ... Saint Leo is third (25.7).

TORIC AT THE TOP: Senior F Filip Toric ranks 68th in the country and first in the SSC in rebounding ... He is averaging 8.0 boards per game ... He ranks seventh in the league in assists (3.4) and fifth in blocks (1.1).

DOUBLING UP: Senior G Justin McCoy has scored in double figures in 10 straight games ... McCoy is coming off a career-high 29 points ... He ranks ninth in the league in scoring (15.1).

CAREER LEADERS: Senior G Vladimir Raymonvil ranks third in school history in career free throw percentage (.815) ... Senior G Bryan Van Cott ranks fifth (.804).

THAT 70s SHOWING: Five players are shooting better than 70 percent from the free throw line ... The Buccaneers are shooting .725 from the line this season.