Rollins Hosts SSC Leader Barry Wednesday

MATCH-UP:
Rollins (15-10, 9-6 SSC) vs. No. 17/18 Barry (19-4, 12-4 SSC)

WHERE:
Warden Arena - Winter Park, Fla.

WHEN:
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 - 7:30 p.m.

COVERAGE:
VIDEO/AUDIO: Geico Tars Sports Network/91.5 FM WPRK
Play-by-Play: Robert Segal Color: Jim Ferro
In-Studio Pregame/Halftime - Austin David
LIVE STATS: TarsStats.com

SET-UP:
Sitting third in the Sunshine State Conference standing with three games left, Rollins welcomes league leader Barry to Warden Arena Wednesday night. The two teams are on different trajectories with the Tars winning its last two and Barry going 0-2 last week. Rollins went on the road to beat Lynn 92-80 on Saturday after a home 29-point win over Nova Southeastern. The Bucs lost a one-point decision at Palm Beach Atlantic a week ago and then had its 31-game home winning streak snapped by Tampa, 86-76 on Saturday. The losses dropped Barry to No. 17 in the D2SIDA Media Poll and No. 18 in the NABC Division II Coaches Poll. The Bucs lead Eckerd by half a game in the SSC standings while the Tars trail EC by two games. Tampa and Florida Southern are a half game back of Rollins in a tie for fourth. The top-four seeds earn first round home games in the upcoming Sunshine State Conference Tournament.

TRACKING THE TARS:
Rollins is the top three-point shooting team in the SSC, hitting 40.8 percent from beyond the arc. The Tars rank 16^th in the country with 247 three-pointers made. Rollins is scoring 80.7 points a game and allowing 80.3. Sam Philpott leads the offense with 14.7 points a game. The junior is shooting 54 percent from the field and also grabbing 4.4 rebounds a night. Jeff Merton scores 13.9 points and leads the team with 5.6 rebounds a game. Connor Mckim is coming off a monster week and now averages 10.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists a game. Joey Galvis leads the conference and ranks 17^th in the nation with 53 steals.

TRACKING THE BUCCANEERS:
Barry brings the nation's sixth-ranked offense to Warden Arena, averaging 91.5 points a night. However, the Bucs netted just 75 and 76 points in losses last week. On defense, the Bucs allow 80.4 a night to rank 31^st nationally in scoring margin. Barry leads the nation in assists per game and is sixth in total three-point field goals. Adrian Gonzalez leads the way with 19 points and 4.4 rebounds a game. Elvar Fridriksson scores 15.7 a game and is sixth in Division II with 7.6 assists a game. Arie Williams is scoring 13.1 a game and Sawyer Glick scores 12 points a night.

NOTES:
Rollins is 46-23 all-time against Barry. The Tars have dropped five of the last six, including a 90-70 setback in Miami Shores on Dec. 30. Eric Castaneda led the Tars with 14 points while Sawyer Glick netted 27 for Barry.

The first official NCAA Division II South Region ranking will be released Wednesday

On Thursday, Sam Philpott was one of five recipients of the CoSIDA Academic All-District award and is in the running for Academic All-American.

Rollins men's basketball is 1000-779 in its modern era (1950).

Sam Philpott has hit at least one field goal in each of the last 33 games.

Since recording one assist in the season opening game, Connor Mckim has had at least two dimes in each of the last 22 games.

Tom Klusman is 668-391 in his 37^th year leading the Rollins men's basketball team.

NEXT:
Rollins is hit the road for a final time this regular season on Saturday, Feb. 18, visiting Tampa at 4 p.m. Fans can catch all the action live on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.