University of North Florida
4-3, 1-0ASun
Florida Gulf Coast
2-4, 0-1ASun
Ospreys Outlast Eagles in A-Sun Opener, 81-74
12/2/2010 10:41:59 PM | Men's Basketball
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Five players reached double digits for the University of North Florida men's basketball team as the Ospreys survived a late second half charge by Florida Gulf Coast and earned a hard fought 81-74 victory in their home and Atlantic Sun Conference opener Thursday night at UNF Arena.
Senior Brad Haugabrook finished with a career-best 20 points to pace UNF (4-3, 1-0 A-Sun) while junior Jimmy Williams added a 12 point, 11 rebound double-double performance. Matt Sauey (13), Jerron Granberry (12) and Parker Smith (10) rounded out the list of double-figure scorers for the Ospreys.
Anthony Banks scored 19 and Reed Baker tallied 18 in the losing cause for FGCU (2-4, 0-1).
“We are thrilled to get this win,” said UNF head coach Matthew Driscoll following the first victory in an A-Sun opener in program history. “This game really showed us that we can't take anything for granted. This is a big win for us to open league play. We had things rolling for awhile and then had a few mistakes that allowed Florida Gulf Coast to get back into the game. I give our guys lots of credit for continuing to battle and stick to our plan. Down the stretch, I thought our defense was able to get consecutive stops and we executed a couple of late game situations very well. We need to build on this and continue to grow and improve as a team.”
Haugabrook, who scored 18 of his personal best 20 points in the first half, sparked the Ospreys to a fast start scoring seven straight points in a 10-4 opening run. UNF led by as many as eight, 18-10, before the Eagles battled back and grabbed their first and only lead of the game following an 11-2 surge of their own.
UNF answered with a 17-5 run over the next five minutes of play opening up a double-digit advantage, 37-26, with just under two minutes remaining. Granberry drilled a closing three-pointer at the halftime buzzer sending the Ospreys into the break with a 40-30 lead.
North Florida used a 12-2 surge in building a 20-point lead, 52-32, with 15:47 remaining in the game. FGCU again fought back cutting the deficit to single digits after scoring 13 consecutive points. During the Eagle rally, UNF turned the ball over five consecutive trips and surrendered eight straight points to Banks.
Florida Gulf Coast closed to within three, 56-53, with 7:20 left but a pair of free throws by Haugabrook and a four-point play by Smith pushed the UNF advantage back to nine less than a minute later. FGCU trimmed the deficit to three twice more only to have the Ospreys extend it back to near double figures.
With just under two minutes left, the Eagles made a final charge pulling to within two points, 74-72, on a layup by Marlon Rivera with 37 seconds remaining. However, Charles McRoy, Williams and Smith all made free throws down the stretch to secure the victory for UNF.
For the game, UNF out-rebounded FGCU 45-37 but the Eagles hauled down 19 offensive rebounds that resulted in 28 second chance points. The Ospreys forced 10 turnovers but committed 20 miscues of their own including 14 in the second half.
North Florida topped the 80-point mark for the second time this season after not reaching the mark once during the previous four seasons.
The Ospreys conclude their brief two-game home stand Saturday at 7 p.m. against A-Sun foe Stetson. The UNF women host Stetson in the first game of the doubleheader at 4:30 p.m.
