Saturday, February 23
Jacksonville, Fla.
2:00 PM
University of North Florida
63
vs
55
MERCER
Jennifer Bowen led UNF with 21 points
UNF women TKO Mercer, 63-55
2/23/2008 6:37:26 PM | Women's Basketball
Jennifer Bowen leads way with 21 points for Lady Ospreys
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida women's basketball team found itself in a heavyweight fight on Saturday afternoon when it squared off against Atlantic Sun Conference foe Mercer at UNF Arena.
The Lady Ospreys took every punch the shifty Bears could throw before delivering their own knockout blow in the final five minutes of a 63-55 win.
Jennifer Bowen led UNF with 21 points and contributed key baskets in a pair of big runs that saved the day for the Lady Ospreys -- the first a 10-0 burst before halftime that sliced an 11-point deficit to just 27- 26 and the other an 11-2 spurt with five minutes to go in the game that erased a one-point deficit.
Bowen had five points in the first-half rally, including a 3-pointer with 19 seconds before the break, and started the second-half comeback with a pair of free throws with 5:15 to go that pushed UNF back in front for good at 46-45.
Shennette Sheffield added 17 points for UNF (12-14, 7-6 A-Sun), which snapped a brief two-game losing skid with the win. UNF shot 43 percent for the game and hit 19-of-27 shots from the free throw line. Mercer (6-23, 1-13 A-Sun) shot 41 percent and hit six 3- pointers.
"I was really proud of our team," UNF head coach Mary Tappmeyer said. "This was a hard-fought game on both sides. We were very aggressive on the offensive end when we won two games in Nashville earlier this month, and we got away from that a little bit against Jacksonville and in the first half of this game. I thought our ability to get to the basket and keep the pressure on offensively in the second half was the difference."
The Lady Ospreys (12-14, 7-6 A-Sun) were forced to rally in the first half after falling behind 27-16 with three minutes to play before intermission. LaToya Jackson sank three of her five 3-pointers in the first half to help the Bears take control.
Bowen capped UNF's 10-0 blitz before the intermission by scoring five straight points, including her 3-pointer with 19 seconds to play.
In the second half, things stayed close, with the Lady Ospreys building no more than a five-point lead before Mercer began its final push. Kourtney Carter's jumper with six minutes to play capped an 8-2 run and gave the Bears a 43-42 lead. The teams exchanged baskets on their next two possessions after that before Bowen put UNF on top for good with her free throws.
Sheffield hit two free throws and nailed a jumper in the paint, and Shandrea Moore and Brittany Jones each added baskets for the Lady Ospreys after that to help stretch the lead out to 56-47 with 1:46 to play.
Jackson led Mercer with 22 points, hitting five of nine shots from 3-point range.
The Lady Ospreys play their 2008 home finale on Monday night when they play host to longtime rival Kennesaw State at UNF Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
The Lady Ospreys took every punch the shifty Bears could throw before delivering their own knockout blow in the final five minutes of a 63-55 win.
Jennifer Bowen led UNF with 21 points and contributed key baskets in a pair of big runs that saved the day for the Lady Ospreys -- the first a 10-0 burst before halftime that sliced an 11-point deficit to just 27- 26 and the other an 11-2 spurt with five minutes to go in the game that erased a one-point deficit.
Bowen had five points in the first-half rally, including a 3-pointer with 19 seconds before the break, and started the second-half comeback with a pair of free throws with 5:15 to go that pushed UNF back in front for good at 46-45.
Shennette Sheffield added 17 points for UNF (12-14, 7-6 A-Sun), which snapped a brief two-game losing skid with the win. UNF shot 43 percent for the game and hit 19-of-27 shots from the free throw line. Mercer (6-23, 1-13 A-Sun) shot 41 percent and hit six 3- pointers.
"I was really proud of our team," UNF head coach Mary Tappmeyer said. "This was a hard-fought game on both sides. We were very aggressive on the offensive end when we won two games in Nashville earlier this month, and we got away from that a little bit against Jacksonville and in the first half of this game. I thought our ability to get to the basket and keep the pressure on offensively in the second half was the difference."
The Lady Ospreys (12-14, 7-6 A-Sun) were forced to rally in the first half after falling behind 27-16 with three minutes to play before intermission. LaToya Jackson sank three of her five 3-pointers in the first half to help the Bears take control.
Bowen capped UNF's 10-0 blitz before the intermission by scoring five straight points, including her 3-pointer with 19 seconds to play.
In the second half, things stayed close, with the Lady Ospreys building no more than a five-point lead before Mercer began its final push. Kourtney Carter's jumper with six minutes to play capped an 8-2 run and gave the Bears a 43-42 lead. The teams exchanged baskets on their next two possessions after that before Bowen put UNF on top for good with her free throws.
Sheffield hit two free throws and nailed a jumper in the paint, and Shandrea Moore and Brittany Jones each added baskets for the Lady Ospreys after that to help stretch the lead out to 56-47 with 1:46 to play.
Jackson led Mercer with 22 points, hitting five of nine shots from 3-point range.
The Lady Ospreys play their 2008 home finale on Monday night when they play host to longtime rival Kennesaw State at UNF Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
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