MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Juan Ferrales and the Buccaneers would rather forget about what happened the last time these two teams met.
A month ago in Davie, Fla., Barry University men's basketball team had an 11-point lead on host Nova Southeastern a little over three minutes into the second half. But after the fire alarm and sirens went off in Nova's Taft University Center arena, and both teams and all spectators were ushered out of the building, everything changed. The Sharks came back to win that game by two, signaling the first two-game losing streak of the season for the Bucs.
Wednesday, Barry (16-6, 6-6 Sunshine State Conference) will look to right the ship when it hosts Nova Southeastern (11-13, 7-5) at 5:30 p.m. in a game that can be seen on the Buccaneers Broadcasting Network. Fans can also follow via LIVE STATS. Barry's women's team will play the No. 6-ranked Sharks in the 7:30 p.m. nightcap.
During halftime of the men's game, Barry University will honor its student-athletes who received academic honors during the fall semester. Seven student-athletes will be recognized for their 4.0 grade point averages during the semester. Also, a dance performance by AIM will highlight the halftime entertainment. Following the women's game, fans can meet the team and receive free pizza in Bucky's Cove in the Landon Atrium.
"We lost a really tough game, one we felt we should've won, that we were up most of the game," said Ferrales, a junior guard, whose 15.2 points per game ranks eighth in the league. "We're really fired up, and the fact that we lost to Eckerd (Saturday), it gives us more incentive to go out there and play a lot harder, play better defense."
In the first game, the Sharks hit seven of their nine three-point field goals in the second half. Stian Berg was five of six from beyond the three-point arc in that game. He leads the SSC in three-point shooting percentage at 47.4 percent.
"The big topic with us has always been defense," said Ferrales, whose 2.8 triples per game leads the conference. "We want to be smart. With Nova, the way they play is really smart basketball, read and react basketball. They make a lot of smart plays, so we have to be just as heady, and be ready for all the screens and for all the action and for all this read and react stuff that they do."
The Sharks lead the SSC in three-point shooting at 39.8 percent. The Buccaneers are second at 37.1.
Wednesday's game is the first of two during Homecoming Week. Saturday is the final home game of the season -- a 6 p.m. tip against Rollins. A special Make-A-Wish presentation will be made after the women's game and before the men's game Saturday around 5:30 p.m.
"I absolutely love playing at home," Ferrales said. "We want to give the Barry crowd something that they've seen all year, which is two (more) wins at home. We want to keep our home presence strong, and we want to finish our Homecoming Week 'Barry' strong."
GAME NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: Barry lost to Eckerd at home Saturday, 85-83 ... Yunio Barrueta had 21 points and eight rebounds.
SERIES RECORD: Barry is 32-18 all-time against Nova Southeastern ... The Buccaneers lost the first game this year, 72-70, on the road in January, despite holding an 11-point lead in the second half.
EYES ON OPPONENTS: The Sharks are coming off an 81-72 loss at Rollins Saturday to snap a three-game win streak ... Chris Page is averaging 13.8 ppg and 4 reb ... Casey Carroll is averaging 11 ppg and 5.8 reb ... Justin Jeangerard is averaging 13.7 ppg and 5.5 reb, while shooting 53.4 percent from the floor ... Stian Berg is scoring 10.8 ppg and shooting a league-best 47.4 percent from 3-point range ... Berg had 21 points and six rebounds on 5 of 6 three-point shooting in the first game this year ... Page had 15 points.
DOWN TO THE WIRE: Ten of the last 11 games in the Barry-Nova series have been decided by four points or less ... Six of those games have been decided by two points or less ... Barry lost the last two in the series.
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT: Barry has been involved six games decided by two points or less and nine games decided by five points or less ... The Bucs are 3-3 in games decided by one possession, and 6-3 in contests decided by two possessions.
CHASING RECORDS: Barry Jr. PG Deric Hill needs one assist to break the school season record ... He and Nelson Fonseca (1993-94) share the record with 168 assists ... Hill is two steals shy of breaking the school season record, currently held by Ron Johnson, who had 63 in 1986-87.
AMONG NATION’S BEST: Deric Hill ranks fifth in the nation in assists per game (7.6) ... He is sixth in total assists (168) ... Hill ranks sixth in the country in steals per game (2.82) ... He is eighth in total steals (62).
DOUBLE DOWN: Bucs Soph. F Yunio Barrueta has nine double-doubles this season ... He ranks 26th in the country in that category ... Barrueta has scored in double figures in 16 straight games.
STEADY SHOOTING: Sr. F Magne Fivelstad has sank 13 straight free throws over the past five games ... His 84.3 free throw shooting percentage currently ranks second in single-season history at Barry.
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE: Barry ranks sixth in the nation in assists per game as a team at 18.6 ... The Bucs lead the Sunshine State Conference in that category.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Fr. F Adrian Gonzalez is shooting 54.3 percent from the floor ... With seven or more made baskets Wednesday, he’d rank among the nation’s best FG shooters and among the top five freshmen in the country in Division II ... NCAA Division II statistical minimums require a player to average five made FG per game ... Currently, he is averaging 4.9.
THREE-POINT ARTISTS: Barry Jr. G Juan Ferrales leads the league in 3-point FG made per game (2.8) ... Nova’s Stian Berg leads the SSC in 3-point FG percentage (47.4) ... Ferrales currently ranks seventh in 3-point FG percentage (41.9) and eighth in 3-point FG made (62) ... He needs 10 more triples to move into the top five.
CLEANING THE GLASS: At 6-foot-2, Jr. F Savad Garner leads the SSC lead in offensive rebounds per game (3.4) ... Garner currently ranks 10th in school single-season history in offensive rebounds (75) ... With 15 more, he would move into the top five.
MAKE-A-WISH: Barry will host a special event for the Make-A-Wish Foundation between the women’s and men’s game vs. Rollins Sat. Feb. 22 around 5:30 p.m. ... Make-A-Wish is an NCAA Division II fundraising initiative to grant wishes to local kids with severe medical conditions ... Barry is raising funds to grant three area kids wishes ... To donate, call 305-899-4823.
SSC TICKETS: Fans can order Sunshine State Conference Tournament tickets for the Mar. 5-9 postseason tourney in Kissimmee, Fla., by calling 305-899-4823 or visiting the SSC website at www.sunshinestateconference.com
STACKING UP IN SCHOOL HISTORY: This year’s team ranks second in school single-season history in assists per game (18.6) ... The Bucs are fourth in free throw percentage (72.4) ... Barry is fifth in FG percentage (47.2).
ALL BUT ONE: Barry has had multiple players score in double figures in every game this year ... In all but one game -- the loss to Saint Leo on the road on Feb. 8 -- at least two starters have reached double figures.
SENIOR DAY: Saturday marks the last home game of the year ... Seniors Magne Fivelstad and Garrett Naughton will be honored.
BUCS RECORD WHEN ...
Overtime Games: 1-0
Home Games: 10-2
Road Games: 4-4
Neutral Games: 0-0
Night Games: 14-2
Day Games: 3-4
Leading at Halftime: 11-4
Trailing at Halftime: 5-2
Tied at Halftime: 0-0
After a Loss: 4-1
Scoring 80+ points: 11-2
Scoring 70-79 points: 4-2
Scoring 60-69 points: 1-1
Scoring 50-59 points: 0-1
Games Decided by 2 points or Less: 3-3
Games Decided by 5 points or Less: 6-3
Games Decided by 10 points or Less: 9-4
Games Decided by 11-20 Points: 4-2
Games Decided by over 20 Points: 3-0
Outrebounding Opponents: 13-4
Opponents Outrebound Bucs: 3-2
Matching Opponents in Rebounds: 0-0
Committing 10 or Fewer Turnovers: 3-1
Committing 11 or More Turnovers: 13-5
5 Starters Reach Double Figures: 1-0
4 Starters Reach Double Figures: 6-2
3 Starters Reach Double Figures: 14-2
2 Starters Reach Double Figures: 16-5
1 Starter Reaches Double Figures: 16-6
Shooting 50% or Better FG: 6-1
Shooting 40-49% FG: 8-3
Shooting Under 40% FG: 2-2
Opponents Shoot 50% or Better FG: 5-3
Opponents Shoot 40-49%: 7-3
Opponents Shoot Under 40%: 4-0
Shooting 80% or Better FT: 5-1
Shooting 70-79% FT: 5-3
Shooting 60-69% FT: 6-2
Shooting Under 60% FT: 0-0
Opponents Shoot 80% or Better FT: 3-2
Opponents Shoot 70-79% FT: 4-2
Opponents Shoot 60-69% FT: 5-2
Opponents Shoot Under 60% FT: 4-0