University of North Florida
Lipscomb
Ospreys can't solve Lipscomb
1/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 9, 2006
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The North Florida men's basketball team stayed to its customary script on Monday night when it played host to Atlantic Sun Conference foe Lipscomb at UNF Arena - close, but not close enough.
The Ospreys overcame a 13-point halftime deficit with a furious charge out of the gates in the second half, but Lipscomb's depth and clutch shooting down the stretch proved too much to overcome as the Bisons won 75-67.
James Poindexter scored 16 points off the bench for Lipscomb (8-6, 4-2 A-Sun), one of five Bisons in double figures, to help extend UNF's losing streak to a school-record-tying eight consecutive games. The Ospreys (3-10, 0-6 A-Sun) also dropped their second straight game at home after a 2-0 start at UNF Arena.
After UNF had sliced a 41-28 halftime deficit to a single point (43-42) at the 14:17 mark, Lipscomb's Brian Fisk scored five points in a 7-2 Lipscomb run over the next two minutes that forged the Bisons back ahead comfortably. Fisk then made a multitude of defensive plays down the stretch to help preserve the win.
"Every team has a go-to player, and Fisk was that guy for Lipscomb tonight," UNF head coach Matt Kilcullen said. "He just took the game over when their team needed a lift. They are a veteran team that is experienced, and they showed that tonight. They never got rattled even when they were down."
The Ospreys came out firing early, taking a 20-10 lead in the first nine minutes. From there, the Bisons took over - outscoring UNF 31-8 before halftime to take their commanding lead at the intermission.
In the second half, UNF returned the favor, using a 14-2 run to get back into the game. Eight of the 14 points came from senior center David Ashwell, who finished with 15 points - 11 of which came in the second half.
Rashad Williams also scored 15 points to tie for the team high. Ryan Daugherty added a career-high 13 points. Lipscomb's Michael Lusk added a double- double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
UNF shot 49 percent from the floor and outrebounded Lipscomb, 32-31. The Bisons shot 47 percent and tallied 25 points off 15 UNF turnovers - including an 18-0 mark in the first half off miscues.
UNF played its fifth consecutive game without leading scorer and rebounder Alain Laroche - who is sidelined with a wrist injury - but the Ospreys do expect Laroche to return to practice this week.
UNF returns to action on Saturday against a familiar foe - former Peach Belt Conference foe and current A-Sun newcomer Kennesaw State. The teams will play in Marietta, Ga., at 5 p.m. The game will be aired live in Jacksonville on WIOJ-AM 1010 and via the World Wide Web at www.UNFOspreys.com.
