 As a sophomore in 2003–04, Barea earned First Team All-America East honors after finishing second in that conference for both scoring (20.7 ppg) and assists (5.8 apg) and becoming the first Husky since Reggie Lewis in 1986–87 to average at least 20 points per game.As a junior in 2004–05, Barea ranked second in the America East and eighth in the country in scoring (22.2 ppg); he also led the conference and was fifth in the nation in assists (7.3 apg).He later earned first-team All-AEC honors for the second consecutive year.