SAINT LEO, Fla. -- Barry University men's basketball team escaped a close call to beat Saint Leo, 87-85, Saturday on the road.
The Buccaneers (7-2, 2-1 Sunshine State Conference) will play Southern Nazarene at Lynn Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Barry led by double digits in the second half, but Saint Leo (6-3, 2-3) made a furious rally to nearly stun the Bucs.
Marcus Dewberry scored with 1:29 to go as the Lions trimmed the gap to eight. Lawrence Watt converted a three-point play with 46 seconds to go, pulling Saint Leo within 86-81. Barry's Undra Mitchem split a pair from the line, but Watt scored with 10 seconds to go, and Caleb Stewart added another bucket after a steal with five seconds to go to pull within two. The Bucs held on in the final possession to survive.Yunio Barrueta had 23 points and a career-high 18 rebounds. He was 9 of 9 from the free throw line. Barrueta's 18 rebounds are tied for the fourth most in school history. The school record is 22 rebounds by Bobby Latham in 1992. Barrueta moved into fourth place on the school's all-time scoring list, passing Willie Whitfield.
The Buccaneers led 51-39 at the half. Barry knocked down 18 of 39 shots and 10 of 13 free throws.
Barrueta hit his first four field goals in the second half, and the Buccaneers extended their lead to 21 with 11:55 to play. Saint Leo cut it to 75-59 before
Arie Williams canned a triple with 9:20 remaining.
Anders Haas sank two free throws to give the Bucs a 19-point lead, but Lawrence Watt scored at the 4:13 mark to pull the Lions within 14.
Barry missed six straight field goals during a stretch it was 2 for 14 from the floor, and Saint Leo used a 9-0 run to cut it 10. Barrueta sank two free throws to end the Bucs drought at the 2:59 mark. Saint Leo drew within nine, 84-75, but Barrueta sank two more from the line as it turned into a free throw contest.
The Buccaneers were 19 of 23 from the stripe. The Lions went 20 of 28.
Barry missed nine straight field goals, and was 1 of 13 down the stretch.
Haas had 15 points and seven rebounds.
Elvar Fridriksson had 15 points on 7 of 12 shooting. Mitchem had 10 points and seven boards. Stewart had 24 points and Dewberry 23 for the Lions.
The Bucs outrebounded the Lions 48-41. Both teams shot 42 percent.
