University of North Florida
Kennesaw State
Ospreys drop OT thriller
2/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 8, 2007
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida men's basketball team couldn't have picked a worse time for a cold spell when it squared off with longtime nemesis Kennesaw State at UNF Arena on Thursday night.
UNF (2-22, 0-13 A-Sun) dominated for much of the game and stretched a six-point halftime lead to 10 points with 4:52 to play but couldn't keep its good fortunes going from there. The Owls (11-15, 6-7 A- Sun) outscored the Ospreys 12-2 the rest of the way - including a pair of big 3-pointers in the final two minutes - to force overtime.
Golden Ingle then sank a running jumper with a second to play in the extra period to give the Owls a come-from-behind 68-66 win in a matchup of former Division II Peach Belt Conference foes.
Ingle finished with 20 points for the Owls, but 13 of those came in the first six minutes of the opening half. His 3-pointer late in regulation was his only basket in the second half, but he added two key baskets in overtime to allow the Owls to sweep the season series between the schools.
James Grimball recorded his seventh double-double of the season for UNF, collecting 18 points and 12 rebounds. The junior dominated the second half and overtime - scoring all of his points and registering eight of his rebounds. He scored 10 straight points for the Ospreys at one point as they built a 56-45 lead. Grimball's dunk with 4:52 to play gave UNF a 58- 48 advantage.
Ingle and Ronell Wooten added clutch 3-pointers to claw the Owls within striking distance, however, and Wooten tied the game at 60 with 1:24 to play in regulation to force overtime.
The Ospreys shot 46 percent for the game and outrebounded the Owls 40-37. Eighteen UNF turnovers proved fatal, however, as did the four- minute dry spell to end regulation.
"It was an extremely hard-fought game," UNF head coach Matt Kilcullen said. "We need to be able to finish off games by executing our offense and making plays. Kennesaw State did that tonight, and we didn't."
Despite letting a big lead slip away, the Ospreys get the win in overtime. Arnold Henry's free throw tied the game at 66 with 40 seconds to play, and Germaine Sparkes grabbed the rebound when Henry missed his second attempt. UNF called timeout with 34 seconds to play, but Sparkes couldn't connect with Grimball on the ensuing inbound pass, and the Owls' Jon-Michael Nickerson grabbed the steal to set up Ingle's last-second shot.
Aaron Caruthers added 15 points and Chris Timberlake 10 for UNF. Wooten added 17 points for the Owls.
UNF returns to action on Saturday afternoon as part of a women's-men's doubleheader at UNF Arena. The Lady Ospreys face cross-town rival Jacksonville University in a SunTrust River City Rumble matchup at 2 p.m., followed by the men's squad against A- Sun leader East Tennessee State at 4 p.m.
