Women's Basketball | 9/28/2001 10:59:00 AM

Box Score CLEVELAND, Miss.-Diane Lewis scored a game-high 22 points to lead Barry over Florida Southern 76-69 at the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball South Regional at Sillers Coliseum in Cleveland, Miss., Thursday night.

The Buccaneers avenged a pair of regular season losses to the Mocs, including a 65-40 loss in Lakeland, Fla., Barry's worst of the season.

"We came out determined to make them beat us from the outside," Barry head coach Jan Allen said. "They have some tremendous post players, but I think we held them down fairly well."
Barry jumped out to a quick lead as Fatimah Holiday hit a pair of three-pointers in the first two minutes to put the Bucs up 12-6 with 15:27 remaining in the first half. But the Mocs responded with a 13-0 run over the next five minute to take a 19-12 lead. However, Barry closed out the half with a 9-0, giving the Bucs a 35-32 halftime advantage.

In the second half, the Bucs answered every Moccasin run. With the game tied 53-53 with 8:18 left the play, Barry sprinted out to a 15-5 run which gave the Bucs the game's largest lead 68-58 with 4:34 to play.

Down the stretch, the Bucs hit only six of 12 free throws in the final two minutes, but the Moccasins could not take advantage, managing to only close the lead to four points. Heidi Paddock nailed home the win, hitting her pair of free throws with :08 seconds left to put Barry up by the final score of 76-69.

In addition to Lewis, Mandy Sterling hit for 13 points, all in the second half, and Kaycee Kapels added 12. Alicia Evans led Florida Southern with 19 points, while Antonia Newman added 16 and Melissa Brown 13.

Barry improves to 20-8 and will face Sunshine State Conference champs Rollins in the semifinals at 5:30 pm. Florida Southern ends their season at 22-7.

The win gives Barry the first-ever back-to-back 20-win seasons in school history and the third in four years under Allen.