Men's Basketball | 2/25/2004 10:32:00 PM

Box Score MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- The Barry University men's basketball team caged the Florida Tech Panthers 79-64 in Sunshine State Conference play earlier this evening at the Health & Sports Center.

The Panthers (5-21, 1-12 SSC) exploded out of the gates hitting four three-pointers in the first five minutes and led 16-8 at the 11:19 mark. However, Andres Alfonso sparked a 21-6 run that closed out the period giving the Buccaneers (14-12, 7-6 SSC) a 33-22 halftime lead.

Behind Nick Ellingsworth-Perez and Clifford Smith's combined 24 second half points, the Buccaneers continued to mount the offensive pressure leading the Panthers by 26 with 6:54 to play. Jesse Fitzgerald came in off the bench in the final three minutes for the Panthers leading a late surge that came up short with six points.

Smith scored 14 second half points to lead all scorers with 18. Andres Alfonso hit 3 of 4 from three point range and finished 17, while Perez turned in 14 on the night. Alfonso and Perez led the Bucs with six rebounds apiece.

Titas Vainauskas finished 4 of 8 from the floor and 6 of 6 from the free throw line to lead the Panthers with 16 points, while Ryan Maultsby followed with 14. Damien Clark posted a team-high four rebounds for Florida Tech.

The Buccaneers will wrap up the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 28 at Rollins at 5 pm.

Newspaper Box Score
Florida Tech vs Barry
02/25/04 7:30 pm at Health & Sport Center (Miami Shores, FL)
At Health & Sport Center (Miami Shores, FL)
BARRY 79, FLORIDA TECH 64
FLORIDA TECH (5-21, 1-12 SSC)
VAINAUSKAS, Titas 4-8 6-6 16; MAULTSBY, Ryan 5-12 1-3 14; RICH, Brad 2-6 2-2
8; FITZGERALD, Jesse 2-4 2-2 6; GREENE, Desmond 2-5 0-0 5; HILL, Matt 0-2
5-6 5; HARGIS, Chris 1-4 3-4 5; BOLLENBACK, Adam 1-1 0-0 2; CLARK, Damien
0-3 1-2 1. Totals 17-45 22-27 64.
BARRY (14-12, 7-6 SSC)
SMITH, Clifford 7-12 2-2 18; ALFONSO, Andres 7-11 0-2 17; PEREZ, Nick 5-10
2-2 14; SAUNDERS, Ryan 4-6 2-2 11; JAUKOVIC, Luka 3-4 0-0 6; JOHNSON, Casey
3-3 0-0 6; PARMER, Ronnie 1-1 0-1 3; LEWIS, Rodney 0-1 2-2 2; RODRIGUEZ,
Danny 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 31-49 8-11 79.
Florida Tech.................. 22 42 - 64
Barry......................... 33 46 - 79
3-point goals-Florida Tech 8-18 (MAULTSBY, Ryan 3-6; VAINAUSKAS, Titas 2-4;
RICH, Brad 2-4; GREENE, Desmond 1-2; HARGIS, Chris 0-1; FITZGERALD, Jesse
0-1), Barry 9-16 (ALFONSO, Andres 3-4; PEREZ, Nick 2-3; SMITH, Clifford 2-5;
SAUNDERS, Ryan 1-2; PARMER, Ronnie 1-1; JAUKOVIC, Luka 0-1). Fouled
out--Florida Tech-None, Barry-None. Rebounds-Florida Tech 21 (CLARK, Damien
4), Barry 26 (ALFONSO, Andres 6; JAUKOVIC, Luka 6; PEREZ, Nick 6).
Assists-Florida Tech 11 (MAULTSBY, Ryan 3), Barry 21 (ALFONSO, Andres 5).
Total fouls-Florida Tech 12, Barry 22. A-317