DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Barry University men's basketball's bid for its first Sunshine State Conference Tournament title came up short Sunday as the No. 17 Buccaneers fell to No. 25 Eckerd, 87-84, at Embry-Riddle's ICI Center.

It was the second straight year the Bucs advanced to the league tournament championship game, but a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime was off the mark. Barry (23-6) will await its NCAA Tournament fate at 10:30 p.m. tonight. Fans can watch the NCAA Selection Show on NCAA.com. 

The Buccaneers overcame a 10-point halftime deficit in which they struggled from the floor, shooting 25.8 percent from the field in the opening half, using a spirited comeback buoyed by Arie Williams' five second half triples to give the Bucs a shot. But the Bucs were operating in catch-up mode most of the game -- Eckerd led for 29:20. When Barry finally got over the hump late in the game, the Tritons (25-6) came up with an answer at the end.

Barry shot 25 of 66 from the field for 37.9 percent. Eckerd hit 23 of 49 shots for 46.9 percent. The Bucs held the Tritons to 10 of 26 shooting in the second half, but the shots they hit were big.

Williams buried a 3-pointer with 12:30 left to cut Eckerd's lead to 57-55. After the Tritons answered on the other end on Ray Darnell's basket, Tray Leonard buried one of his three triples to make it a one-point game. Leonard tied the game at 67-67 on a basket in the paint with 5:40 left, and Adrian Gonzalez and Elvar Fridriksson scored back-to-back baskets to give the Buccaneers a four-point lead.

Kevin Walsh answered with a triple for the Tritons before Fridriksson sank two free throws with 3:39 to go to keep Barry in front by three. But Obi Kyei hit a jumper, and E.J. Moody was fouled on a triple try, converting all three to put the Tritons ahead by two. Williams hit another three at the 2:36 mark to push the Buccaneers back in front, 76-75. But Moody hit a three of his own, and Darnell split a pair from the free throw line to give the Tritons a three-point lead. Williams buried another triple to tie the game at 79-79 with 1:44 remaining. 

It was the seventh tie of the game. But Walsh canned another 3 -- his fourth of the game -- and Eckerd pulled away down the stretch, sinking of its last six free throws. Even Yunio Barrueta's three free throws with 17 seconds left and Leonard's two makes from the line with nine seconds to go were not enough.

Barrueta finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Leonard had 12 points and 12 boards as each recorded their 13th double-doubles of the season. Anders Haas scored all 10 of his points in the first half. Williams finished with 15 points and two steals before fouling out when Barry was in desperation mode at the end of the game. Fridriksson had nine points and eight assists, and had an off-balance contested three-point try at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime, but his shot was off the mark.

Barrueta and Haas were named to the SSC All-Tournament Team.

The Buccaneers are vying to make their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance, all under coach Butch Estes.