MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry University men’s basketball team will host Florida Tech at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Health & Sports Center.
The Buccaneers (13-3, 4-3 Sunshine State Conference) have won their past three games, two of which have been decided by three points or less. Florida Tech (13-5, 3-4) is coming off a four-point loss to Eckerd Saturday.
The game will air on the Buccaneers Broadcast Network. Danny Rabinowitz will handle the call. Live Stats are also available.
Wednesday’s game will mark the end of the first half of the conference season. Barry begins play in the second half of the league schedule Saturday when it travels to Tampa.
Florida Tech has the leading scorer, leading rebounder and leader in assists in the SSC. Jermaine Jackson is averaging a league-best 21 points per game. Corbin Jackson is averaging a league-high 11.1 rebounds per game while scoring 15.1. Chris Carter leads the league in assists (7.8), and is scoring 18.8 per game.
The game will feature the two premier point guards in the league as Barry’s Deric Hill matches up against Carter. Hill is second to Carter in assists (7.1), but leads the league in steals (2.4).
Florida Tech’s five starters are all 6-4 or taller. Barry has two starters at 6-2 or under.
GAME NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: Barry beat Rollins in a two-point decision Saturday on the road ... Yunio Barrueta had 25 points and 10 rebounds.
SERIES RECORD: Barry is 29-25 all-time against Florida Tech ... The Bucs and Panthers split the season series a year ago with Barry winning an overtime game at home and Florida Tech winning by two in Melbourne.
EYES ON OPPONENTS: The Panthers are coming off a 79-75 loss to Eckerd on Saturday ... Jermaine Jackson is scoring a league-best 21 ppg ... Chris Carter is averaging 18.8 ppg and 7.8 ast, which leads the SSC ... Corbin Jackson is averaging 15.1 ppg and a league-best 11.1 reb.
SHOOTING LIGHTS OUT: Barry shot a season-best 62.8 percent in Saturday’s win on the road ... The Buccaneers shot a blazing 75 percent in the first half, going 15 of 20.
CLOSE CALLS: In 4 of the last 5 five games, Barry has been involved in outcomes decided by 3 points or less ... The Bucs are 2-2 in those games.
JUNIOR’S JUMP: Soph. F Yunio “Junior” Barrueta is coming off back-to-back career-highs after scoring 23 and 25 points last week in a pair of wins.
ARIE AIMING HIGH: Fr. G Arie Williams has averaged 9.5 ppg in the last four games ... He had a career-high 12 points in Saturday’s win.
DIME DROPPER: Jr. G Deric Hill ranks seventh in the nation in assists per game (7.1) ... He is 10th in total assists with 113 this year ... Hill ranks 12th in school single season history ... He is seven assists away from entering the top 10.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Soph. F Yunio Barrueta recorded his sixth double-double of the season Saturday when he had 25 points and 10 rebounds at Rollins ... He’s scored in double figures in his last 10 games ... Sr. F Magne Fivelstad has three double-doubles this year.
CHANGING SPEEDS: Barry has averaged 73.5 ppg in its last four games ... That’s almost a 20-point drop from the first four games when the Bucs were scoring 92.7 ppg ... The Bucs are 8-1 when scoring 80 or more points.
TOP 15: Barry ranks 14th in the nation in assists per game as a team at 17.8 ... The Bucs are 15th in the nation in rebound margin at 8.0.
STEADY SHOOTING: Sr. F Magne Fivelstad has hit 10 straight free throws over the last three games ... He’s 22 of 23 over the last six games.
80 PERCENT CLUB: Sr. F Magne Fivelstad and Fr. F Adrian Gonzalez are both shooting over 80 percent from the free throw line ... Fivelstad is shooting 82.3 percent ... Gonzalez is shooting 81.6 percent.
ON POINT FROM THREE POINT: Jr. G Juan Ferrales leads the SSC in 3-point field goals made per game (2.9) ... He’s shooting 42.3 percent beyond the arc, which also leads the SSC.
THIEF ARTIST: Jr. G Deric Hill ranks 18th in the country in steals per game (2.4) ... He leads the SSC in steals per game ... He’s had three steals or more in nine games this season.
ON THE OFFENSIVE: At 6-foot-2, Jr. F Savad Garner shares the SSC lead in offensive rebounds per game (3.4).
CENTURY CLUB: Yunio Barrueta (136), Magne Fivelstad (118) and Savad Garner (113) all have over 100 rebounds this year ... Deric Hill has over 100 assists (113) ... Six players have scored over 100 points.
MAKE-A-WISH: Barry University will host a special event for the Make-A-Wish Foundation between the women’s and men’s game against Rollins on Sat. Feb. 22 ... Make-A-Wish is an NCAA Division II fundraising initiative ... Barry is raising funds to grant a few area kids wishes ... To donate to the cause, call 305-899-3553 or 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.
FIVELSTAD FREE THROW FORM: Magne Fivelstad ranks fifth all-time in career free throw shooting at 79.5 percent.
NEARING THE TOP: Barry’s 47.8 percent field goal shooting effort ranks third all-time in school single season history ... The Bucs’ 1987-88 squad averaged a school-best 48.3 percent.
DOUBLE DOSE: Barry has had multiple players score in double figures in every game this year.
BUCS RECORD WHEN ...
Overtime Games: 0-0
Home Games: 8-1
Road Games: 3-2
Neutral Games: 0-0
Night Games: 11-2
Day Games: 3-1
Leading at Halftime: 9-2
Trailing at Halftime: 4-1
Tied at Halftime: 0-0
After a Loss: 2-1
Scoring 80+ points: 8-1
Scoring 70-79 points: 4-2
Scoring 60-69 points: 1-0
Scoring 50-59 points: 0-0
Games Decided by 2 points or Less: 3-1
Games Decided by 5 points or Less: 5-2
Games Decided by 10 points or Less: 7-2
Games Decided by 11-20 Points: 3-1
Games Decided by over 20 Points: 3-0
Outrebounding Opponents: 11-2
Opponents Outrebound Bucs: 2-1
Matching Opponents in Rebounds: 0-0
Committing 10 or Fewer Turnovers: 3-1
Committing 11 or More Turnovers: 10-2
5 Starters Reach Double Figures: 1-0
4 Starters Reach Double Figures: 3-0
3 Starters Reach Double Figures: 11-0
2 Starters Reach Double Figures: 13-3
1 Starter Reaches Double Figures: 13-3
Shooting 50% or Better FG: 4-0
Shooting 40-49% FG: 8-3
Shooting Under 40% FG: 1-0
Opponents Shoot 50% or Better FG: 4-2
Opponents Shoot 40-49%: 6-1
Opponents Shoot Under 40%: 3-0
Shooting 80% or Better FT: 5-1
Shooting 70-79% FT: 3-1
Shooting 60-69% FT: 5-1
Shooting Under 60% FT: 0-0
Opponents Shoot 80% or Better FT: 3-0
Opponents Shoot 70-79% FT: 4-1
Opponents Shoot 60-69% FT: 4-2
Opponents Shoot Under 60% FT: 2-0