Spartans Down Barry In SSC Tournament Quarterfinals

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. - The University of Tampa (16-11) men's basketball team advanced in the Sunshine State Conference tournament, defeating Barry University (13-15) by a score of 61-50. The victory moves Tampa to Saturday's tournament semifinal.

With Barry leading by six on two occasions in the first half, UT rebounded to take a 30-21 lead with 2:06 remaining in the half. A Rashad Callaway 3-pointer at the buzzer sent the game to the half with a 33-28 UT advantage.

The Spartans took a double figure lead on a Callaway 3-pointer at the 16:53 mark, and stretched the lead to 13 on its next possession. The Buccaneers made a late run, taking a one point lead with just over five minutes to play. The lead was short lived as UT bounced back with an 8-0 run to grab control of the contest and notch the road victory.

Callaway finished with a team-high 17 points as teammate Marcus Morrison chipped in 15 points. Matt Tomaszewski added 12 off the bench as Anthony LaBruno also registered 11. Tomaszewski provided a long-range spark, connecting on four 3-pointers.

Morrison also grabbed a team-leading 11 rebounds as the freshman from Brandon recorded his second straight double-double of the season. Morrison also led the Spartans with three blocked shots and three steals while Callaway turned in a team-high five assists.

The Spartans will meet the winner of the No. 1 Florida Southern matchup, in a 7:30 p.m., contest. Live stats will be available through www.tampaspartans.com.

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Click here for the official SSC tournament web page