North Miami-Dade News

Barry clinches spot in the postseason with victory

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- The Barry University men's basketball team clinched a spot in the 2023 Sunshine State Conference (SSC) postseason with a 67-54 win over the University of Tampa in action Wednesday evening at the Health & Sports Center in Miami Shores, Florida. The Buccaneers improve to 12-12 overall and 8-11 in the league while the Spartans drop to 8-17 overall and 7-12 in SSC play. Barry's win knocks Tampa out of the SSC postseason.

Barry University athletics recognized its senior members on Cesar Odio Court, along with the visiting Spartans' senior group:SPARTANS - Justin Anderson, Mykah Brown, Jonathan Bryant, Yannick Olma, Zach Simpson, Yarden Willis

BUCCANEERS - Tyler Hawkins, Amari Haynes, James Montgomery, Isaiah Washington,  Jaron Williams

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Barry 67, Tampa 54
Records: Barry (12-12, 8-11 SSC), Tampa (8-17, 7-12 SSC)
All-Time Series:  The Spartans lead, 47-32, in the all-time series, but the Buccaneers have won six of the last eight meetings and climb over .500 (19-18) in games on their home court. 

SUMMARY: 

• 1H - Barry won the opening tip and scored on its first three possessions. Jaron Williams started with a fade-away jumper from the right. Tyler Hawkins hit his first 3-pointer on a fast break. Amari Haynes sank a hook shot in the paint. Bucs built a 15-7 lead. Spartans shot over 80 percent to take a six-point lead before Malik Stanley's pull-up jumper tied the score at 28-28. Mykah Brown ended a Spartan 0-for-11 shooting slump with a break away layup. Barry's bench, led by Stanley's seven points, outscored Tampa, 13-6. Buccaneers scored 20 of their 33 points inside the paint. | Barry 33, Tampa 32
• 2H - Nick Anderson scored his first points of the game with a 3-pointer and free throw to follow at 13:53 for a seven-point Buccaneer lead. Malik Stanley added a floater to put Barry up nine, 44-35. The Buccaneers had their first double-digit lead when Tyler Hawkins laid in a fast break bucket. Jaron Williams connected on two second-chance baskets, the latter a triple with an assist from James Montgomery. Anderson finished the Buccaneer scoring with a 3-point dagger following a timeout with three seconds left on the shot clock and under a minute to go in the game. | Barry 67, Tampa 54

NOTEWORTHY:

• Tampa won the previous meeting on its home court last November, 72-69.
• Four of the Bucs five seniors recognized before the game had points before the first media timeout; all five had scored before the final media timeout of the first half.
• Tampa made 11 of its first 13 field goals, then suffered an 0-for-11 slump.
• Jaron Williams and Tyler Hawkins both finished with 14 points to lead the Buccaneers while James Montgomery added 13 in the win.
• Malik Stanley and Montgomery had four assists apiece while Williams and Hawkins both dished out three helpers each.
• James Montgomery grabbed a team-high nine rebounds for the Buccaneers; Tyson Leitao led all players with 10 caroms.
• The Buccaneers finish their 14-game home slate with a mark of 9-5, the best for the program since 10-3 in 2018-19.
• After an OT loss to Florida Tech at the beginning of the month, Barry won its final three home games.
• The Buccaneers have won five of their last six overall including road victories at Rollins and Palm Beach Atlantic.
• The only Buc defeat in the last six games came at the nation's No. 1-ranked and unbeaten team, Nova Southeastern University.

ON THE HORIZON:

 Barry finishes its Sunshine State Conference (SSC) regular-season with a road matchup in Lakeland, Fla., on Saturday night against Florida Southern (7:30 p.m.).

Original source can be found here.