The Streak is Over!

Thursday, December 18

Greenville, S.C.

7 p.m.

University of North Florida

1-8

Furman

1-7

North Florida

Furman

Stan Januska and the Ospreys shot 81.8 percent from the free throw line.

12/18/2008 10:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

UNF snaps road losing streak with 77-66 win at Furman

By: Shawn LaFata

Box Score

South Carolina Blog

Greenville, S.C. – The streak is over! Fifty four straight times the University of North Florida men's basketball team took the court away from home. Fifty four straight times the team got back on the bus without a victory.

That changed on Thursday night after transfer Eni Cuka poured in 27 points and the Ospreys (1-8) shot 81.8 percent from the free throw line in a 77-66 win against Furman (1-7).

"I couldn't be prouder of this team," head coach Matt Kilcullen said. "Mentally they were prepared. We shot the ball well at shootaround. Everybody that played had a part in this win. The kids played with a lot of heart and fire and I'm so glad this streak is over."

The win snapped the nation's longest losing streak away from home, prevented the team from setting the all-time losing streak away from home and gave the Ospreys their first NCAA Division I win on the road.

Three Ospreys scored in double figures with Stan Januska and Cortez Riley each scoring 15 points. Cuka did most of his damage in the opening half beyond the arc, while Januska caught fire early in the second half.

UNF finally sealed the door shut on Furman from the free throw line, where the team hit 27-of-33 shots. The 77 points were also a season-high for the Ospreys.

The Paladins began fouling the Ospreys with four minutes left in the second half but UNF wasn't fazed, hitting 16 of its last 19 shots from the foul line.

The Ospreys shot 56.1 percent for the game and outrebounded the Paladins 30-26, while fighting off Furman's Jordan Miller, who scored 26 points and tried to keep Furman in the game down the stretch.

Cuka hit his first 3-point attempt of the night and helped UNF get out to an early 7-4 advantage. The two teams stayed with each other over the first 13 minutes of play with Furman cutting the UNF advantage to one at 14-13 before eventually taking an 18-17 lead. DeVon Jones put the Ospreys back on top with a layup in traffic, giving his squad a 19-18 advantage.

Cuka stayed hot beyond the 3-point arc for the Ospreys hitting four long-range shots in the opening half as well as a baseline jumper on a fast break that he completed with the help of Januska.

Cuka led all players in the first half with 16 points, hitting 6-of-9 shots from the field. UNF shot 45.8 percent from the field in the half, hitting all four of its free throws. Miller led the Paladins with 10 points.

UNF started the second half on a 6-2 run, with Stan Januska scoring a pair of baskets on the low post and Germaine Sparkes hitting a baseline jumper from the left corner. Januska kept it going in the half, scoring UNF's next four points to give his team a 15-point lead.

Three-straight Miller 3-point plays cut the UNF lead to 11 before an Ashton Jones layup made it a 48-36 game. Cuka scored five-straight points to put UNF up 57-43, with three of those coming at the charity stripe after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt. Cuka scored UNF's last field goal at the 1:58 mark before the team put the game away at the free throw line.

Kyle Groothuis led all players with eight rebounds on the night, with Riley pulling down six rebounds to go along with six assists. Alex Opacic led Furman with six rebounds.

UNF committed 16 turnovers on the night, compared to Furman, which turned the ball over 12 times.

The Ospreys will take aim at their first winning streak of the season when they take on Palm Beach Atlantic Saturday at 5 p.m.