Early struggles end in first A-Sun loss

Saturday, December 6

Jacksonville, Fla.

2 p.m.

University of North Florida

Belmont University

Sophomore Brittany Jones played a season-high 18 minutes

12/6/2008 7:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Lady Ospreys shot a season-low 26 percent from the field

By: Adam Jonson, UNF Athletics

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A game-opening 22-4 run by Belmont set the tone on Saturday when the University of North Florida women's basketball team dropped its first Atlantic Sun Conference contest of the season – a 60-34 decision to the Bruins – and scored its lowest point total in three seasons.

"We weren't ready to play and Belmont wanted it more," UNF head coach Mary Tappmeyer said. "When you're not ready to play in this league, the result is not going to be pretty."

UNF (2-4, 1-1 A-Sun) managed only four field goals and 11 points in the first half, shooting 16 percent from the field. Senior Jennifer Bowen converted a layup for the Lady Ospreys' first points a little less than three minutes into the game before Belmont (5-2, 2-0) scored 18-straight to push the score to 22-4.

Using jumpers by Bowen, junior Arlande Cherizol and freshman Brittany Kirkland, and a pair of free throws by Bowen, the Lady Ospreys cut the Bruins' lead to 15 with a little more than a minute remaining until halftime. However, two shots on target from long range gave Belmont a 21-point cushion at the break (32-11).

"That is too big of a hole to climb out of, especially considering how young of a team we have," Tappmeyer said. "And one opposing player outrebounding our entire starting five is a cause for major concern."

Belmont's Jessica Bobbitt, an A-Sun Preseason All-Conference selection, grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds and tallied a game-high 14 points (tied with two other Bruins – Amber Rockwell and Cacy Burtnett). The UNF starting lineup combined for only 13 boards.

Overall, the Lady Ospreys were outrebounded, 48-35, and allowed the Bruins to snatch 18 offensive rebounds. Those offensive rebounds led to 13 second-chance points for the visiting team, eight of which came in the second half.

The Lady Ospreys scored eight points off seven forced turnovers in the second half, and turned the ball over themselves only five times after halftime. In total, UNF committed 15 turnovers and Belmont had 12. UNF scored 12 points off its opponent's turnovers while the Bruins scored eight off the Lady Ospreys' mistakes.

Bowen and Kirkland led the Lady Osprey squad with 10 points each and Bowen topped the team with five rebounds. Cherizol and freshman Kayla Mobley came off a UNF bench that scored 14 points and notched four points apiece.

UNF suffered a season-low .260 shooting percentage and failed to sink a single shot from beyond the 3-point arc. The Lady Ospreys also went 8-for-15 from the free-throw line (53.3 percent), which is another season-low.

"Our shooting problems came from a lack of focus tonight," Tappmeyer said. "We had good looks. They made some switches that we knew they would make and we didn't make the correct adjustments or the right reads."

The Bruins boasted as much as a 27-point lead mid-way through the second half and UNF could not reduce the lead to less than 20, and never led in the contest.

"We've got to go back to work, figure out how to refocus and get ready to play again," Tappmeyer said.

The Lady Ospreys will have seven days to regain their focus and prepare for their next matchup, which will be at South Florida 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14.

"We weren't ready to play and Belmont wanted it more," UNF head coach Mary Tappmeyer said. "When you're not ready to play in this league, the result is not going to be pretty."

The Bruins boasted as much as a 27-point lead mid-way through the second half and UNF could not reduce the lead to less than 20, and never led in the contest.

"We've got to go back to work, figure out how to refocus and get ready to play again," Tappmeyer said.

The Lady Ospreys will have seven days to regain their focus and prepare for their next matchup, which will be at South Florida at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14.