Men's Basketball | 12/6/2018 1:17:00 PM

MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—The Barry Buccaneers host the Eckerd Tritons on Saturday, Dec. 8 in the Sunshine State Conference home opener on Cesar Odio Court in the Health & Sports Center. The women tip at 2:00 pm, followed by the men at 4:00 pm. 

Women's Basketball - Saturday, Dec. 8; 2:00 pm; Cesar Odio Court in the Health & Sports Center

The Barry women's basketball team (2-5, 0-2 SSC) has one of the toughest schedules in NCAA Division II this season, with the seven previous opponents combining for a 40-12 record so far this year. So far, in the D2SIDA Media Poll, the Bucs have faced #1 Union, #5 Virginia Union and have upcoming games against #4 West Texas A&M, #20 Florida Southern and Saturday's matchup with #25 Eckerd. The Bucs are coming off a 69-56 loss at Tampa last Saturday. Ida Andersson had 17 points and seven rebounds to lead the Bucs. 

Andersson leads the team at 14.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. The senior guard has scored in double figures all but one game and has topped 20 points twice, shooting 41.7 . Sophomore guard Nichel Tampa chips in 14.4 points and 3.3 assists per game. Harriett Swindells is hitting as a 42.1 percent rate behind the arc.

The 25th-ranked Tritons (5-1, 2-0 SSC) are tied for first in the SSC after wins over Saint Leo at home and at Florida Tech. Against the Panthers, Yarden Danan led the Tritons with 17 points, while Armi Anttila has 10. Zoe Richards came off the bench with 15 points.

Senior guard Danan leads the team with 12.8 points per game. Backcourt mate Chelsea Johnson adds 10.7 points per game. Abby Whiteye, a junior from Canada, tops the squad with 4.8 rebounds per game, while Octavia Loll's 3.2 assists pace the way.

GAME NOTES:

• Barry leads 39-24 in the all-time series, though the Tritons have won the last four.
• The Tritons took a narrow 69-67 win in St. Petersburg on Nov. 18 last year and prevailed 74-57 in January in Miami Shores.

Men's Basketball - Saturday, Dec. 8; 4:00 pm; Cesar Odio Court in the Health & Sports Center

The Bucs dropped from 12 to 16 in the NABC poll after splitting a pair of road games, falling 103-93 at Nova Southeastern, but bouncing back for an 83-71 at Tampa. Daniel Mortensen led four Buccaneers in double figures with 23 points. Tylan Birts and Marko Tomic each chipped in 13 points and David Moya added 12.

The Bucs are second in the conference in scoring offense (84.0), scoring defense (67.5) and scoring margin (+16.5).  Six Buccaneers are averaging at least 9.0 points per game, led by Mortensen at 13.2, on 50 percent three-point shooting. Evan Walshe contributes 11.0 points per game, hitting 59.0 percent from the floor and 47.4 percent beyond the arc. David Moya averages 10.2 points per game and 5.0 assists. Birts, who averages 9.0 points per game, leads the team at 6.3 rebounds.

The Tritons, who are receiving votes in the D2SIDA Media Poll, won both conference games to start the season, beating Saint Leo 83-69 at home and Florida Tech 84-63 on the road. Against the Panthers, all five starters scored in double figures, led by junior guard Marquis Gilbert's 24 points points. Kristiyan Stavrev added 15 points and seven assists. Drushaun McLaurn, Marco Behori and Admir Radoncic chipped in 11, 10 and 10 points respectively.

McLaurn leads the team at 21.0 points per game again this season. The three-time All-SSC pick also leads the team with 7.9 rebounds per game. Myron Hagis adds 12.1 points pergame and five other players average between 7.3 and 9.8 points per game.Behori leads the team with 4.9 assists per game.

GAME NOTES:

• Eckerd leads 45-31 in the series, but the Bucs have won six of the last seven.
• Last season, was a maximum contact year in the series with four games between the teams. Barry swept the regular season, winning 93-89 in St. Petersburg and 75-73 in Miami Shores. The Tritons bounced back with a 96-71 win in the SSC Tournament in Lakeland. But Barry got the most important one in the end, winning 79-72 in the South Region Tournament Championship to advance to the Elite 8.