LAKELAND, Fla. – Barry University nearly pulled off a big comeback, but a pair of Florida Southern last-second free throws sent the Buccaneers home empty in Wednesday's Sunshine State Conference opener. The Bucs fell 74-72.

Elvar Fridriksson hit a triple with 3:12 left to bring the Bucs within 6. Undra Mitchem sank the first of two free throws, and Tray Leonard hit the second of two to make it a four-point game with 2:05 to play. Leonard scored on a dish from Fridriksson at the 1:42 mark, and then sank the ensuing free throw. That made it 71-68. Anders Haas hit two free throws with 57 seconds left to pull the Bucs within one.

After Florida Southern sank one of two free throws, Leonard rammed home a dish-off from Fridriksson to tie the game at 72. But Dylan Travis, who had 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, sank two free throws with 0.6 seconds left to put the Mocs back up by two.

Barry couldn't convert on the desperation heave to beat the buzzer, and Florida Southern escaped.

The Bucs (1-1, 0-1 SSC) came from 13 points down, despite an off shooting night, to nearly pull off the comeback. Barry shot 36 percent from the floor. Florida Southern (1-2, 1-0) hit 42 percent of its shots. Both teams struggled from beyond the 3-point arc, shooting 29 percent.

The Mocs missed six of seven free throws over a 1:23 stretch, but with the Bucs playing in catch-up mode, Barry opted to continue sending Florida Southern to the free throw line. Travis sank seven of his last eight free throws to help put the game away.

Leonard finished with his first double-double, scoring 17 points and pulling down 15 boards. He was 7 of 16 from the floor. Yunio Barrueta scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half, and added seven rebounds. Anders Haas had 16 points and six rebounds. Fridriksson had nine points and five of the Bucs' 11 assists.

Barry trailed by 10 at the break. The Bucs shot 33 percent from the field in the first half, converting 5 of 18 triples. Florida Southern shot 47 percent in the opening half. Barry was outrebounded 26-16 in the first half.

Leonard knocked down a deep three to pull Barry within four, 43-39, early in the second half. But the Moccasins went on a 13-4 run to open up a 13-point lead.

Barrueta knocked down a baseline jumper to cut the gap to 10. After the Mocs scored on the other end, Barrueta answered with a triple to keep it a 10-point game. Undra Mitchem hit a driving layup after a scramble for a loose ball to cut the Mocs lead to eight with 5:42 to play.

Barry will host Puerto Rico-Mayaguez at 7 p.m. Friday.