MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University's 19th-ranked men's basketball team needed a late surge to overcome a gritty Florida Tech squad, 87-84, in the Sunshine State Conference quarterfinals at the Health & Sports Center Wednesday night.

The top-seeded Buccaneers got it in the form of Daniel Mortensen and Elvar Fridriksson, who combined for 47 points, including some late-game heroics to send Barry on to Saturday's 5 p.m. semifinals at Embry-Riddle's ICI Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. With the win, the No. 1 seeds improved to 20-0 all time in the SSC Tournament.


INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Barry 87, Florida Tech 84
Records: Barry 22-5, Florida Tech 15-14
All-Time Series: Barry leads the series, 37-26

SUMMARY: 

• The Buccaneers trailed by eight with 6:30 remaining before going on a 14-0 run over the next 2:53 to take a 78-74 lead on a pair of free throws by Fridriksson. He converted a three-point play at the 4:39 mark to pull the Bucs within one, and then canned a triple 24 seconds later to put Barry in front, 76-74.
• After the Panthers cut it to one when Jordan Majors split a pair from the free throw line with 2:13 remaining, Mortensen canned his seventh triple of the game on the next possession to make it a four-point game. FIT could not get the deficit under three the rest of the way.
• Mortensen scored a career-high 27 points in 28 minutes on 10 of 12 shooting. He was 7 of 9 from downtown.
• Fridriksson had 20 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. He was 8-for-9 from the stripe.
• Adrian Gonzalez finished with 15 points and six boards. Arie Williams scored nine points, going 3-for-5 from 3-point range, and Marko Tomic had seven points.
• Barry outscored Florida Tech, 14-4, in transition. The Buccaneers shot 54.5 percent, while the Panthers hit 51.8 percent of their field goals. 
• The Bucs trailed, 39-36, at halftime.

NOTEWORTHY

• Fridriksson had his seventh double-double of the season. 
• Mortensen matched a season-high with seven 3-pointers.
• Barry had 20 assists, marking the 18th time the Bucs have reached at least that many this season. The Buccaneers lead the country in assists per game.
• Tomic was 3 of 4 from the free throw line, ending a streak of 16 consecutive makes from the stripe, dating back to Dec. 19 versus Indianapolis. Calix N'Diaye owns the school record of 32 straight from Feb. 2, 2005 to Feb. 16, 2005.

ON THE HORIZON:

Barry will play Palm Beach Atlantic 5 p.m. Saturday in the SSC semfinals at the ICI Center in Daytona Beach.