MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry women's basketball team made a fourth quarter comeback that nearly lifted the Buccaneers to a win over Saint Leo Saturday. 

Barry cut an 18-point fourth quarter deficit down to single digits in the closing seconds, but even Melanie Jordan's buzzer-beating three-pointer was not enough as the Buccaneers fell three points short at the Health & Sports Center.


INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Saint Leo 70, Barry 67
Records: Barry 5-17, 3-11 SSC, Saint Leo 6-14, 1-11 SSC
All-Time Series: Barry leads 43-18

SUMMARY:
 

• The Buccaneers trailed the entire way, and found themselves in a 33-24 deficit at halftime. The Lions outscored the Bucs, 19-13, in the second quarter after Barry was within three at the end of the first. Lexy Schoonover's layup with 3:28 remaining in the first pulled Barry within three. The Bucs fell behind by eight 3:21 into the second period, but Kiara Palmer hit a layup, Stephane Granada scored in the paint, and Elin Ekdahl sank a free throw to cut it back to three.
• Palmer scored 17 of her 25 points in the second half, and hit 10 of 18 field goals overall to help Barry keep it close. She also had three blocks and six rebounds.
• Lexy Schoonover, who finished with a career-high 18 points on 5 of 6 shooting, hit a 3-pointer with 1:28 to play in the final quarter to pull Barry within five. Palmer scored down low with six seconds remaining to make it a four-point game. After Saint Leo's Izabell Skoogh sank two free throws a second later, Jordan canned a triple to beat the buzzer, but it wasn't enough for the Bucs. 
• The Bucs outscored the Lions, 29-20, in the final quarter.
  
  NOTEWORTHY:
• Schoonover scored in double figures for the second time in three games, and fourth time this season. Her previous season-high was 13 -- a total she reached in twice.
• Palmer matched her season-high of 25 points, and reached 20 points for the fourth time this season. Her three blocks also tied her season best. She is averaging 1.4 blocks per game, and has recorded at least one in every game but three. 
• Barry outscored Saint Leo, 34-20, in the paint. The Bucs were 18 of 24 from the free throw line for 75 percent. The Lions went 15 of 21 from the line for 71 percent. The 18 free throws were the second most by the Buccaneers this year. Barry sank 20 of 29 against Rollins on Dec. 30.
• Palmer has led the team in rebounding for the past eight games.
  
  ON THE HORIZON:
  
  Barry plays at Palm Beach Atlantic 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.