LAKELAND, Fla. -- Barry University women's basketball team made an impressive comeback in its Sunshine State Conference road game at Florida Southern Saturday, only to come up short in a 70-67 loss.
The Buccaneers (8-4, 1-1 SSC) trailed by 17 with nine minutes remaining, but used a 8-2 run over the next 1:44 to cut it to 11 on Nyjah Porcher's basket. After Florida Southern's Morgan Siebka canned a triple to bump the Moccasins' lead back to 14, Barry went on a 9-2 run on the heels of two Jackie Perez 3-pointers, a free throw by Kaylia Richardson and layup by Lynae Richardson.
Florida Southern scored with 2:00 on the clock before Kaylia Richardson's hoop, Amra Elezovic's free throw, Lynae Richardson's layup and another 3-pointer by Perez -- the latter coming with 19 seconds remaining -- sliced the Mocs' lead to three, 68-65.
Sydni Payne sank two free throws for FSC (7-3, 1-0) two seconds later, and Perez scored on a lay-in with six seconds left, but the Bucs didn't get another opportunity to extend the game.
Kaylia Richardson finished with 20 points and eight rebounds, shooting 8 of 11 from the field. Perez had 16 points, going 4-for-8 from long range, and had four rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. She scored all 16 of her points in the second half, aided by 4 of 5 three-point shooting.
Gianna Vastola had 14 points and eight rebounds, Cashala Thompson scored 12 points, and Payne 10 for the Mocs, who outrebounded the Bucs, 43-30.
Porcher had 11 points, seven boards, three assists and two steals. She was 5 of 6 from the free throw line. Elezovic had nine points and two steals.
Barry was 15 of 22 from the free throw line and 4 of 14 from long range -- Perez accounting for all 12 points of the Bucs' triple production. FSC sank 15 of 19 from the stripe, and was 5 of 15 from long range.
The Buccaneers outscored the Moccasins 32-22 in the paint and 21-11 in points off turnovers. FSC outproduced Barry 16-9 in second chance points in a game where the lead changed just once.
Barry plays at Rollins 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.