University of North Florida
BELMONT
Belmont too much for Ospreys
2/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 11, 2006
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The North Florida men's basketball team dug itself quite a hole on Saturday afternoon at the Curb Events Center - one from which there would be no escape.
Belmont got 16 points from center Boomer Herndon and used a pair of enormous first-half runs - 19-3 to open the game and another 19-5 flurry before halftime - to bury the Ospreys early en route to a 90-54 win.
The Bruins (14-9, 12-4 A-Sun) shot 50 percent for the game (33-of-66) and outrebounded UNF 41-27 in posting their 11th win in 13 games. It also keeps them in second place in the conference standings, just a half game behind leader East Tennessee State.
UNF (6-18, 3-14 A-Sun) got 18 points from Rashad Williams - including 17 in the second half - but it wasn't enough to prevent UNF from losing its 15th consecutive game on the road. The Ospreys shot 36 percent (19-of-53) and only 27 percent from 3-point range (4-of-15).
"This is one of those game you want to just forget ever happened," UNF head coach Matt Kilcullen said. "This is the first time this year that a team has taken it to us for two halves where we didn't have an answer. Belmont played very well, and you have to give them credit."
The onslaught started early for Belmont, who raced out to a 19-3 lead in the first two minutes. UNF sliced that advantage to 22-11 three minutes later, but Belmont took off again and never looked back. The Bruins led 43-16 with 3:52 to play before halftime and 47-23 at the intermission.
In the second half, UNF cut its deficit to 52- 34 with 15:40 remaining but never got closer. A 17-9 run followed by the Bruins, who kept building from there.
Alain Laroche added 14 points and Riley Didion 10 for UNF. Justin Hare scored 15 points for the Bruins, while Brian Collins added 14.
UNF will play its final road game of the season on Tuesday in Miami against Florida International. Tipoff is set for Noon. The game will be webcast on UNFOspreys.com.
