#21 Mocs Fall in Final Second to Bucs; Denny Eclipses 1,000 Career Points

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – A tough battle inside the Health & Sports Center on the campus of Barry University saw No. 21 Florida Southern drop a heartbreaker in the final seconds to the Buccaneers, 88-87. In the loss, Dominick Denny eclipsed the 1,000 career-point plateau, becoming the 49^th player in program history and the second this week.
 
"Sometimes you have to lose the battle, to win the war," head coach Mike Donnelly opened as the Moccasins moved to 20-6 overall and 11-5 in Sunshine State Conference play following the close loss. Florida Southern battled for 40 minutes and nearly sealed with but saw Barry convert 2-of-3 free throws in the final second to take the lead with 0.4 seconds left.
 
Donnelly added, "As hard as today's loss is, I still have incredible belief and confidence in our team. We work too hard to give in, so we will continue to fight and be ready to bounce back from this horrible feeling. I know this team can get to a championship level."
 
Four players led the charge for the Moccasins in the league matchup with the Buccaneers (10-14, 6-10 SSC) with Jadin Booth and Peyton Gerald each scoring 24 points. Alex Steen and Dominick Denny registered double digits with 14 and 13, respectively. Denny entered the game eight points shy of the 1,000 mark where he now joins Booth and Steen in the Moccasin record book with 1,000 career points in the red and white.
 
Steen pulled in a game-high 15 rebounds in a battle of the board where the Mocs hauled in 53 to edge the Bucs' 45. Jimel Lane led Barry with 11 points while also leading in scoring with 26, including the final two free throws in the final second.
 
Gabe Hernandez (18), Darius Lee (18), and Adren Roberts (10) all contributed double-figures in the narrow win.
 
The game opened close with both teams sharing a quick lead before Florida Southern could grab a seven-point advantage with 12:13 to go, 22-15. Barry would cut into the lead but a surge by the Moccasins allowed the visitors to push ahead by 12 points, 38-26 with an even six minutes to play. Florida Southern was the first to reach 46 points off a Dominick Denny three with 3:19 on the clock in the opening frame but a scoreless drought and a run by the Bucs saw the game even up at 46 at the break.
 
The second half started slowly with neither team converting points until the 18:46 mark and then it was off to the races as Florida Southern pushed ahead by eight twice in two minutes thanks to threes from Booth with the last at 14:52, 61-53. Despite being down by double-digits, Barry battled back and knotted things up at 71, setting the game up for a close finish.
 
With under two minutes to play, Denny had a quick jumper in the paint to break the 82-82 tie with 1:59 to play, 84-82 FSC. After a turnover by Gab Hernandez thanks to Peyton Gerald's steal, Joe Moon IV made a wild layup which made it 86-82 and momentum started to creep towards the Mocs.
 
Hernandez made a jumper with 43 ticks left to make it a two-point game. Gerald would go 1-for-2 at the free throw line to force a tough decision by the Bucs in the closing seconds of the game (87-84). Barry settled for a layup by Jimel Lane to make it just one point differential, 87-86, with under five seconds to go. On the ensuing possession, Lane would go to take a three but got a light foul called and headed to the line with just 0.4 seconds on the clock trailing by one. He missed the first but sunk the last two pushing Barry ahead 88-87. A last-second desperation heave was picked off by the Bucs just beyond half-court, as the final horn sounded, 88-87 in favor of Barry.
 
No. 21 Florida Southern will return home for its two next games hosting No. 3 Nova Southeastern on Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Saint Leo on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m.