MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University found out what big time basketball is all about at the Division II level. The No. 5 Buccaneers dropped its first game of the season Friday in the Cesar Odio Thanksgiving Classic, 75-69, to No. 3 Bellarmine.

The Bucs, who came into the game leading the nation in field goal shooting, hit 41 percent of its shots, while the Knights, who were a Final Four team a year ago, shot 50 percent from the floor. In a game where Barry trailed the entire way, the Bucs got within four twice late, but couldn't get over the hump in a Classic Division II Top 5 matchup.

"I still think we're a Top 10, Top 15 team," Barry coach Butch Estes said. 
 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Bellarmine 75, Barry 69
Records: Barry (3-1), Bellarmine (5-0)
All-Time Series: Belarmine leads 1-0

SUMMARY:

• The Buccaneers trailed 34-29 in a controlled pace first half. Barry had scored over 100 points twice this season, but the Knights dictated the tempo, taking the up-and-down Bucs out of their comfort zone.
• Bellarmine defended the three well, cooling off the nation's third best three-point shooting team. Barry went 9 of 26 from long range. The Knights were 11 of 25 from long distance, including three second half daggers that prevented the Bucs from gaining control. Barry trailed by as many as 15 in the first half, but whittled it down to five at the break.
• Bellarmine bumped its lead back to 11 in the second half, but the Bucs went on a 7-0 run to cut it to four on a bucket by Elvar Fridriksson. Sawyer Glick canned a three to get the Bucs within one with 12:41 remaining. But the Knights padded their lead back to 13 by the 5:52 mark. Sunday Dech sank a pair of free throws to pull Barry within seven, but Bellarmine hit big shot after big shot, and the Bucs couldn't rattle the Knights' composure.

NOTEWORTHY:

• Barry lost its first game in the Odio Thanksgiving Classic.
• Barry fell to 1-3 in Top 5 matchups under Estes.
• Fridriksson had 13 points and eight assists. Johannes Dolven had 16 points, and Glick 13 points.
• Barry has fallen to the last two Top 10 teams it faced at home tournaments. The Bucs lost to Top 10 Indianapolis in the 2013 Cruzin' Classic at Barry.
• The 69 points was a season low for the Bucs.

ON THE HORIZON:

Barry will host Grand Valley State at 2 p.m. Saturday.

HIGHLIGHTS