Barry Comes Calling For Saturday Showdown With #16 Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. - The No. 16 University of Tampa women's basketball squad will welcome Barry University to the Martinez Center on Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest. The Spartans enter the game on top of the Sunshine State Conference standings with a 16-2 overall record and a 6-1 mark in conference play. The Bucs are in a tie for third with their 12-4 and 4-2 records.

UT is riding a three-game winning streak and has won 13 straight in Tampa.

Sisters Gianna and Catriana Messina helped Tampa to a thrilling 69-68 victory on Wednesday at Florida Southern as Gianna led the team with a 22-point performance and Catriana picked up seven assists, including one on the game-winning shot by Angela Guiu with 2.5 seconds remaining.

Gianna has averaged 18 points a contest during Tampa's latest string of victories and her sister is averaging 5.7 assists during the same stretch. Nine of Catriana's 17 assists in the three games have come on baskets by Gianna.

The Bucs are being led by three-time SSC Player of the Week Mariesa Greene. She is averaging 21.8 points and 11.7 rebounds a game. Barry was a 63-59 victor at Lynn on Wednesday.

With a 34-17 record, Tampa owns the advantage in the all-time series between the two schools. The Spartans won both meetings last season and have won five straight at home over the Bucs.

Live stats and a webcast will be available through www.tampaspartans.com.

Fans may also follow University of Tampa athletics on Twitter (www.twitter.com/utspartans) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/tampaspartans). UT also offers eScores, a free text messaging service that sends text alerts following all Spartan events. To sign up, please register at www.tampaspartans.com.