UNF own worst enemy in OT loss

Saturday, January 5

UNF Arena

4:15 PM

University of North Florida

STETSON

Tom Hammonds led UNF with 21 points

1/5/2008 6:57:18 PM | Men's Basketball

Ospreys hit just 21-of-41 free throws in losing 13-point lead

By: Tom Strother, UNF Athletics

BOX SCORE

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida men's basketball team went cold from the free throw line in its Atlantic Sun Conference matchup with Stetson on Saturday afternoon, and it resulted in a disastrous 71-69 overtime loss at UNF Arena.

The ejection of Hatters coach Derek Waugh with 16 minutes remaining in regulation gave his team the motivation it needed to rally from a 13-point deficit and force the game to overtime. Once in overtime, Garfield Blair took over for Stetson (5-10, 1-1 A-Sun) - scoring all six points, including the game-winner with eight seconds remaining. The senior scored a career-high 32 points and hit 15-of-17 free throws, including all four attempts in the extra period and 13-of-17 in the second half and overtime combined.

UNF (1-13, 0-2 A-Sun) hit just 21-of-41 free throws and was just 2-for-6 from the stripe in overtime. Tom Hammonds led UNF with 21 points, hitting 10-of-14 free throws. The junior missed a key free throw with five seconds remaining in regulation that could have iced the game for UNF, and then misfired on a final shot in overtime that would have forced a second extra period.

The Hatters have won three straight at UNF Arena - all in overtime - since UNF joined the A-Sun in 2005.

"When you miss 20 free throws, it is going to be tough to beat any team in America at any level," UNF head coach Matt Kilcullen said. "We beat ourselves today. We had numerous chances to put the game away, make plays and hit free throws. We just couldn't do it. Missing became contagious, and it turned out to be the difference in the game."

The Ospreys outrebounded Stetson, 42-32, and controlled the majority of the game. UNF led 30-22 at halftime and stretched that margin to 41-28 with 16:03 to play on a Hammonds free throw following a second technical foul on Waugh.

After Waugh's exit, the Ospreys maintained their advantage over the next four minutes before the wheels came off. The Hatters got six points apiece from A.J. Smith and Eric Diaz in a 16-6 run over a nine- minute stretch to eventually tie the game at 53 with 3:28 to play.

UNF retook the lead on its next possession and stretched it to as many as four points on four occasions - the last after a pair of Hammonds free throws with 10 seconds remaining. Blair hit a 3- pointer with seven seconds left, however, and after Hammonds hit one of two free throws Smith then went coast-to-coast with five seconds remaining and connected on a wild shot from under the basket as time expired to force overtime.

James Grimball had 14 points and eight rebounds for UNF, while Stan Januska added 11 points before fouling out late in regulation.

Both teams shot 43 percent for the game and hit 4-of-13 from 3-point range. Stetson was 25-of- 38 from the free throw line.

UNF returns to the road next week when it makes a swing through the state of Georgia to face A- Sun foes Mercer and Kennesaw State on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Thursday's game in Macon tips off at 7 p.m. and will be aired locally in Jacksonville on WBOB-AM 1320 and via the World Wide Web at ASUN.TV.