Box Score
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The University of North Florida men's basketball team fell 82-56 at East Tennessee State in Atlantic Sun Conference action on Sunday, Nov. 29, at Memorial Center in Johnson City, Tenn.
North Florida is 1-4 on the year and 0-2 in Atlantic Sun Conference play, while East Tennessee State improves to 4-3 on the year and 1-0 in league play. ETSU was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Sun and captured last season's A-Sun tournament title and automatic NCAA berth.
The Ospreys now travel to Alabama to face the Crimson Tide on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 8 p.m. ET. It is UNF's last game for 14 days as the Ospreys wrap up final exams for the fall semester. The Alabama game can be heard on taped delay on AM 1320 WBOB in Jacksonville or on-line at 1320WBOB.com. The taped delay time has not been set yet.
ETSU led 44-31 at the break and North Florida was not able to get it any closer than seven points in the second half (50-43 with 14:09 remaining) as the Buccaneers capitalized on 25 UNF turnovers to garner the win.
Freshman forward Andy Diaz led the Ospreys with 14 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. Fellow freshman, guard Jerron Granberry added 10 points. Junior guard Brad Haugabrook and senior guard Stan Januska each had four assists.
North Florida continued its good shooting on the year, hitting for 49 percent on the game (22-45) and 50 percent from 3-point range (6-12). ETSU shot 46 percent for the game (30-66) and 29 percent from 3-point range (6-21). The Bucs out-rebounded UNF 38-28.
ETSU's junior guard Tommy Hubbard filled up the stats sheet with 25 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block with no turnovers.
East Tennessee State came out hitting on all cylinders early but the Ospreys matched them and took a 10-9 lead on senior guard Eni Cuka's 3-pointer with 14:36 left in the half. It was a one-point ETSU lead at 13-12 with 13:28 left in the half. ETSU went on a run to stretch the lead to 11 at the 4:37 mark but a 5-0 UNF run made it 35-29 with 3:11 left in the half. The Buccaneers ended the half on a 9-2 run to take a 44-31 lead into halftime.
Hubbard went on a scoring spree in the first half scoring 18 points as the Buccaneers shot 55 percent in the first half. Diaz led the Ospreys with eight first half points and three rebounds. UNF shot 52 percent in the first half but committed 14 turnovers to just six for ETSU.
“We fought back several times and never gave up,” said UNF head coach North Florida. “Cutting it to six with three to go in the first half put us in position to go into halftime tied or leading, but we then turned it over five of our last six possessions and allowed them to extend the lead to 13 at the break. We came out in the second half trying to win every media timeout break that would allow us to get back into the game. We won the first media break cutting the lead to 10 and then with about 14 minutes left cut their lead to seven, but then the wheels fell off. We need to learn how to take our game to the next level when our opponent elevates their intensity.”
The Alabama game is game four of a nine-game road trip for North Florida before returning home Dec. 30 to face Palm Beach Atlantic.
A season ticket for basketball is $120 and includes all men's and women's home games, a total of 28 games on 19 event dates, including nine Atlantic Sun Conference double headers. A special rate is available for UNF Alumni ($110) and UNF Faculty and Staff ($105). A Family 4-pack is also available for the season at $360. Select seating areas require an Osprey Club membership (per seat donation).
Single-game pricing is $10 for adults and $8 for youth 17-and-under and senior citizens 55-and-older. Children 2-and-under and any current UNF student with a valid Osprey1 Card are admitted free. Student guest passes are $5 and limited to one per student.
For more information or to purchase basketball season tickets call 904-620-BIRD (2473) or email ospreytickets@unf.edu.
