UNF watches 11-point lead evaporate

Friday, January 23

Fort Myers, Fla.

7 p.m.

University of North Florida

-316 (18 ASun)

Florida Gulf Coast

-912 (55 ASun)

North Florida

FGCU

Stan Januska scored 10 points Friday.

1/23/2009 11:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Ospreys fall at FGCU, 50-44

By: Shawn LaFata

Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The University of North Florida men's basketball team watched an 11-point halftime lead slip away on Friday night at Alico Arena in a 50-44 loss to Florida Gulf Coast.

UNF (3-16, 1-9 A-Sun) held an advantage over the hometown Eagles (9-12, 5-5 A-Sun) for nearly 35 minutes of play but could not fend off an 11-3 FGCU run over the last 5:20 of play that ultimately put the Eagles over the top and kept them undefeated against UNF.

"You have to finish a game," UNF head coach Matt Kilcullen said. "We had our opportunities with layups and shots in the paint. The bottom line is they made plays at the end of the game and we didn't."

FGCU's Reggie Chambers scored four points in the paint in the final 2:20 of play before a Derrick O'Neil layup with 59 seconds to play put Gulf Coast ahead to stay. Chambers and O'Neil each scored a game-high 11 points while Stan Januska and Eni Cuka scored 10 to lead the Ospreys.

Florida Gulf Coast spent the first 10 minutes of the second half cutting into UNF's 11-point halftime advantage, finally claiming a lead on an O'Neil free throw at the 10 minute mark of the half. UNF quickly answered with a Kyle Groothuis jumper in the paint and took a pair of leads down the stretch on Cuka 3-pointers.

Missed free throws, however, by Groothuis and Cortez Riley cost the Ospreys down the stretch. UNF hit 6-of-13 free throws for the game compared to FGCU, which sunk 19-of-25.

The Ospreys led by 11 at the half, holding Florida Gulf Coast to only five baskets from the field. The 15-point output for FGCU was its second lowest of the year in the first half.

The UNF backcourt got the offense going early with Riley and Germaine Sparkes combining to score the Ospreys' first nine points of the game and get their squad out to a 9-2 advantage. UNF pushed that lead to as many as eight points in the final 10 minutes of the half thanks to a driving layup that Cuka kissed off the glass.

A Januska 3-pointer gave the Ospreys a 24-12 lead, with UNF cashing in on the offensive end thanks to some tough rebounding and hustle on the defensive end. UNF forced eight turnovers in the first eight minutes of play and held the Eagles to five field goals from the field during that time frame.

The Ospreys held a 26-15 advantage at the break with Matt Sauey scoring six points to pace the Ospreys. Kyle Marks led the Eagles and all players with seven points.

After being held to 15 points in the opening half, Florida Gulf Coast scored 35 in the second and held UNF to 18 points.

FGCU won the battle of the boards 32-31 with O'Neil pulling down eight rebounds to lead all players. Sparkes led UNF with seven rebounds. Each team committed 13 turnovers in the contest, while UNF had 11 steals compared to four for Florida Gulf Coast.

UNF will wrap up its three-game road trip on Sunday night when it heads to Stetson for a 7 p.m. contest.