MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- The Buccaneers remember all too well the opponent that started a late-season slide. That opponent is next up on the list.

Barry University's No. 19-ranked men's basketball team (22-5) will meet Palm Beach Atlantic (15-12) in the Sunshine State Conference semifinals 5 p.m. Saturday at Embry-Riddle's ICI Center in Daytona Beach. Both the Bucs and Sailfish are coming off three-point home quarterfinal wins Wednesday. The winner will advance to Sunday's 4 p.m. championship game on ESPN3 to play the Eckerd-Rollins semifinal winner.

The Bucs lost to the Sailfish by a point in West Palm Beach three weeks ago to trigger a three-game skid. At the same time, the Buccaneers have recovered from that dry spell, winning three in a row. On top of that, they beat the Sailfish, 91-73, earlier this season. The two teams have never met in the postseason or in a neutral setting.

"We have our hands full with PBA," Bucs assistant coach Justin Furr said. "They are very disciplined and well coached. They play several different defenses, and are always in attack mode offensively. We split during the season, so Saturday's game should be a great matchup."

The Sailfish have three players scoring in double figures. The Bucs have five players averaging double figures, ahd have had four starters reach double figures in 10 games.

PBA has won five of its last six, and is 1-1 on a neutral floor this season. The Bucs have won their past three, including a road win at the ICI Center last weekend. This will be Barry's first neutral site game of the year. 

This is the first year Palm Beach Atlantic has been eligible to compete in the SSC Tournament. Next season, the Sailfish and host Embry-Riddle will join the league as official members.

SCOUTING ROLLINS
Barry split with the Tars this season, winning by 20 at home and falling by five in Winter Park two weeks ago. Rollins has won its last six games. and is coming off a two-point, last-second victory over Lynn in the quarterfinals. The Tars are 1-2 in neutral court settings this season. They shoot 41.4 percent from 3-point range, but are being outrebounded by nearly six boards per game. Four players are scoring in double figures for the Tars.

SCOUTING ECKERD
The Bucs won both meetings, including a double-overtime thriller in St. Petersburg when both teams were ranked in the Top 25 in early January. Eckerd comes into the semifinals having won its past three games and seven of the past eight, including an 88-72 quarterfinal win over Florida Southern. The Tritons are 2-0 in neutral site games. The Tritons outrebound opponents by just under eight boards per game. They have four players averaging double figures.


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