Women's Basketball | 9/11/2026 10:30:00 AM
MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Head coach Allison Bustamante announced the schedule for 2026-27 for the Buccaneer women's basketball team today.
"We're looking forward to the opportunities this schedule provides our team," Bustamante said. "Our focus from the start will be on establishing who we are, competing at a high level and continuing to improve every time we take the floor. With conference play beginning early, we know we'll need to grow quickly while continuing to build throughout the season. Every game is an opportunity for our group to come together, develop our identity and take another step toward becoming the team we want to become."
Barry went 7-20 last season, 4-16 in the Sunshine State Conference, but have only three players returning from that squad which finished ninth in the league, along with 10 newcomers.
The Bucs play 16 of 28 games in the friendly confines of the Health & Sport Center on Cesar Odio Court where they have compiled a 313-214 over all record across 37 seasons, 45-35 in the last six seasons.
The season tips off at home with a matchup against cross-town rival Florida Memorial on Monday, Nov. 9. The Lions are coming off a 16-9 campaign that saw they fall in The Sun Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Barry leads the overall series 20-9, including 12-2 at home.
The Bucs renewed their SSC/GSC Crossover contract to take on Trevecca Nazarene and Christian Brothers in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 13-14. Barry faces the host TNU Trojans on Friday, having split the games the last two years. The Trojans were 18-11 last season, 14-8 in the Gulf South Conference, and advanced to the GSC semifinal.
Saturday brings the Battle of the Bucs as Barry takes on Christian Brothers. The teams have split four games over the years, with CBU winning last year as one of their only three wins in a 3-25 season.
The Buccaneers come home on Wednesday, Nov. 18 to host the Warner Royals, who went 9-17 last year. The Bucs have won all three meetings, but the teams have not played since Nov. 1996.
SSC play get underway on Saturday, Nov. 21 with a trip to Saint Leo. The Lions finished 10th in the conference last year, going 7-19, 3-17. Barry holds a 52-27 edge in the series, although the teams have split the last 10 games, including the two last year, with both teams winning at home.
Over Thanksgiving, the Bucs host the Webber Warriors on Nov. 28. Webber went 15-15 last season, but reached The Sun Conference championship game before falling. Although the teams have not played since 1996, Webber has won two out of the three in the series. Barry's only win came in the only home game.
The Bucs face a pair of conference foes on the road to start December, with trips to Lynn on Dec. 2 and Embry-Riddle on Dec. 5. The Knights (14-15, 8-12 SSC) finished tied for sixth last season, while the Eagles (22-7, 16-4 SSC) finished tied for second. Embry-Riddle bounced the Knights in the SSC Quarterfinals. Barry holds 38-29 record against Lynn, including 18-17 in the de Hoernle Center. Against ERAU, the Eagles are up 13-6, including five of the last six games and eight of nine in Daytona Beach.
Barry hosts the Keiser Seahawks on Dec. 9. The Bucs won the only prior meeting in 2010. Keiser went 19-8 last year, losing to the Webber Warriors in the Sun Conference semifinals.
The Bucs face another conference road test on Dec. 12, visiting the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish. The 'Fish were 12-17, 8-12 in the SSC, last year, falling in the conference quarterfinals. The Bucs are 34-12 all-time against PBA, after splitting the games last year, with both teams winning at home.
Barry closes out the fall semester host the Barry U Christmas Classic on Dec. 18-19, with Texas A&M-Kingsville, Drury and Fort Lauderdale joining the field. The Bucs face the UFTL Eagles (6-19) on Friday. Barry won the only meeting over the Eagles in 2024. On Saturday, the Bucs take on Drury. The Lady Panthers were 21-8 last year, 17-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, falling in the semifinals of the GLVC tournament. Their only meeting with the Bucs was in 2012, in a neutral-site game, that the Panthers won.
After taking off for the holiday, the Buccaneers return to play on Jan. 2, hosting the Eckerd Tritons. Eckerd won the SSC regular season title at 17-3 and went 26-7 overall. They bowed out of the conference tournament in the semi-finals, but advanced to the finals of the NCAA South Region Tournament. Barry is 40-36 all-time with the Tritons, although Eckerd has won 12 of the last 13, including both games last year.
The Bucs visit the Martinez Center to face the Tampa Spartans on Jan. 6. Tampa (19-11, 14-6 SSC) finished fifth in the conference last year, falling in the tournament quarterfinals. They lead the series with Barry 63-23, including the last 16 in a row.
Barry hosts the Florida Southern Moccasins on Jan. 9. The Mocs were 24-8 last season, 15-5 in the SSC to finish fourth. They advanced to the SSC championship game, but fell to Nova Southeastern, then lost to Union in the NCAA South Regional. They lead Barry 61-22, although the team have split the last four games.
Barry travels to Melbourne, Fla., to face off with the Florida Tech Panthers on Jan. 13. The Panthers (10-18, 7-13 SSC) finished eighth in the league, and fell to top-seeded Eckerd in the quarterfinals. Florida Tech holds a 48-38 lead in the series, including 25-16 in the Clemente Center. Although they won both meetings last year, they had dropped the previous eight.
The Bucs close out the first half of the conference schedule with a pair of home games, against Rollins on Jan. 16 and Nova Southeastern on Jan. 20. The Tars finished last in the conference in 2025-26, going 7-20, but just 2-18 in the league. Although the Tars hold a 51-31 edge in the overall series, Barry has won eight of the last 10, including both last year. The Sharks, on the other hand, went 29-5, 16-4 in the conference to tie for second in the regular season, then won the SSC Tournament, advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA South Regional. NSU is 37-20 all-time against the Bucs, winning 22 of the last 26, including both last year.
For the second time through the league, the Bucs host Embry-Riddle (Jan. 23), Palm Beach Atlantic (Feb. 3), Saint Leo (Feb. 13), Florida Tech (Feb. 17) and Tampa (Feb. 27), while making trips to face Eckerd (Jan. 30), Rollins (Feb. 6), Lynn (Feb. 10), Florida Southern (Feb. 20) and Nova Southeastern (Feb. 24)
The SSC Tournament runs Mar. 2-7, with the quarterfinals on Mar. 2, semifinals on Mar. 4 and the championship game on Mar. 7, all being hosted by the higher seed.
NCAA Tournament bids are announced on Mar. 7, with the regionals Mar. 12-15 and the Elite 8 hosted by Great Midwest Athletic Conference and Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind., Mar. 22-26.
