MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – The Buccaneers were impressive during a 92-72 victory over Florida Tech at home on Monday, playing suffocating defense all night long inside the Health & Sports Center. The Panthers came into the game against Barry with two players averaging 20+ points-per-game in Sesan Russell (24.1) and Derek Murphy (21.3). Russell came into the game leading the Sunshine State Conference in scoring, but the Bucs locked the two up defensively and held them to 10-for-32 shooting from the field combined.
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
Final: Barry 92, FT 72
Records: Barry (7-2, 3-1 SSC), FT (5-5, 1-3)
All-Time Series: Barry leads 42-27
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING:
SUMMARY:
- Both teams went without a made field goal for the first 2:47 of the game until Evan Walshe connected on a layup on a fast-break feed from David Moya.
- Tylan Birts set the tone early on the offensive glass, giving the Buccaneers second and third chances at scoring, leading FT 14-6 in second chance points at the half.
- Derek Murphy, a senior, came into the contest averaging 21 points-per-game this season for the Panthers, but missed his first five shots in large part due to Birts' ball-denial and smothering defense. Murphy picked up his lone field goal at the 11:20 mark after Birts checked out of the game for a breather. Murphy finished the half going 1-for-8.
- Leandro Allende was stellar off the bench for Barry with 12 first half points on 4-for-5 shooting and six rebounds.
- The Panthers came out of the locker room and went on a 9-2 run, but the Bucs answered right back with a 12-2 run of their own.
- The Buccaneers created easy baskets in the second half in transition, at the rim and beyond-the-arc, leading by as many as 25 with 3:52 remaining. Barry shot 64 percent with 14 assists on 22 made field goals in the second half.
NOTEWORTHY:.
- David Moya recorded a season-high with 10 assists.
- The Bucs had five players reach double-figures
- Marcelo Perez also recorded a season-high with 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting and 3-for-3 from beyond-the-arc.
ON THE HORIZON:
The Bucs will play their final out of conference opponents at the Florida Tech Winter Classic when they head to Melbourne on Friday, December 20th & 21st.
