University of North Florida
Florida Atlantic
Ospreys fall to FAU, 77-75
11/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2005
BOCA RATON, Fla. - Intimidation was not a factor for the University of North Florida men's basketball team in its Atlantic Sun Conference debut on Wednesday night at Florida Atlantic.
The Ospreys went toe-to-toe with the Owls in their first game as a Division I school against a Division I opponent, pushing FAU to the limit in a 77-75 loss. The game was the first at home for FAU first-year coach Matt Doherty and was also the first victory of the year for the Owls (1-2, 1-0 A-Sun).
FAU's DeAndre Rice scored a game-high 22 points, including three crucial free throws in the final minute, to help his squad withstand a furious UNF rally. Brent Crews added 11 points and Rodney Webb and Paul Graham 10 each for FAU.
UNF's Chris Timberlake led the Ospreys (2- 1, 0-1 A-Sun) with 17 points, while Alain Laroche and Rashad Williams each scored 15.
The Ospreys battled back from a seven- point, second-half deficit and take a 67-66 lead on Carl McNally's putback with 3:24 remaining, but couldn't hold it. A blocking foul was called against Williams on the other end following a collision under the basket. Rice nailed a running jumper on the play and then sank the ensuing free throw to help the Owls retake the lead for good.
UNF then trailed by five points with a minute to play but had an opportunity to tie twice in the final 20 seconds.
"I was proud of how our guys battled," UNF head coach Matt Kilcullen said. "I thought it was a heck of a college basketball game. At the Division I level, there is a fine line between winning and losing.
Despite the little things that went wrong, though, our guys gave themselves an opportunity to win the game."
UNF shot 54 percent for the game (29-of-54) but committed 20 turnovers, which led to 19 UNF points. FAU also won the rebounding battle, 36-32, but weren't nearly as strong in the second half, where UNF limited the Owls to 13 rebounds, including only four on the offensive end. FAU had 14 offensive rebounds in the first half in building its 38-37 halftime lead.
The Ospreys came out firing in the first 20 minutes, shooting better than 70 percent in the first 12 minutes of the game in building a 19-12 lead. The Owls crashed the glass from there and hit a bevy of 3-point shots to battle back.
FAU shot 41 percent for the game (26-of-63).
UNF doesn't have much time to rest. The Ospreys will travel across town to take on city rival Jacksonville University on Friday night at Swisher Gymnasium in their second conference game in three days. The game will be broadcast on CSS and carried live in Jacksonville on WIOJ-AM 1010.
