Red hot Campbell defeats UNF

Saturday, February 2

Jacksonville, Fla.

2:00 PM

University of North Florida

CAMPBELL

Jennifer Bowen led UNF with 15 points.

2/2/2008 4:11:23 PM | Women's Basketball

Lady Ospreys drop 68-48 decision to Camels

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida's top-ranked defense in the Atlantic Sun couldn't handle a red-hot Campbell squad that shot 54 percent from the field in a 68-48 win against the Lady Ospreys at UNF Arena.

Lauren Arthur hit 6-of-7 shots beyond the 3-point arc for Campbell (9-12, 4-4 A-Sun), which pulled even with the Lady Ospreys (9-11, 4-4 A-Sun) in the conference race. Jennifer Bowen put together her best performance since returning to the UNF lineup two weeks ago from a broken hand. The junior scored 15 points, but couldn't top Arthur's game-high 21 points.

Campbell not only controlled the scoreboard, but owned the paint as well, pulling down 32 rebounds compared to UNF's 23. The Lady Camels outscored UNF 28-22 in the paint and scored nine second-chance points.

The Lady Ospreys found themselves in catch up mode from the early going after Campbell opened the game with a 15-2 lead. UNF scored the first basket of the contest on a Shennette Sheffield layup, but watched Campbell take off from there, scoring 15-straight points before a Tiffany Williams layup broke the run. Bowen followed that with a 3-pointer, but Campbell kept the pressure on, clinging to a double-digit advantage most of the half.

UNF pulled within six points at the 2:10 mark of the opening half on an Antoinette Reames basket. Reames was fouled on the play, but did not hit the ensuing free throw. That was as close as UNF would get after the Camels' Jessica Mack nailed a jumper the next trip down the court to give the Camels a 31-23 advantage they would take into the locker room.

Mack led the Camels in the opening half, scoring 11 of her 13 points in the frame. Bowen led UNF with eight points.

The Lady Ospreys scored the opening basket of the second half on a Jennifer Guldager jumper, but once again watched Campbell rally. Arthur hit back-to-back free throws to cap an 8-0 run that gave the Camels a 50-31 advantage and all but sealed the victory at the 11:05 mark of the second half.

UNF shot 40.4 percent for the game and hit 4-of-10 shots beyond the 3-point arc. Bowen nailed three of those long-range bombs, while Juliemay Syquio accounted for the other.

The Lady Ospreys turned the ball over 16 times in the opening half and 24 overall, compared to 22 Campbell turnovers.

Bowen led the Lady Ospreys with six rebounds, while Marlena Murphy pulled down seven for the Camels.

UNF will try to push its conference record back above the .500 mark on Monday when it hosts Gardner-Webb in a 7 p.m. contest. All fans wearing pink will be admitted to the game free in support of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association fight against breast cancer.