University of North Florida
ETSU
UNF Set to Host ETSU in Rematch of A-Sun Title Game
1/16/2011 9:28:55 PM | Women's Basketball
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida women's basketball team will host Atlantic Sun Conference foe East Tennessee State on Monday, Jan. 17 in a 7 p.m. contest at UNF Arena.
The Ospreys (4-11, 2-4 A-Sun) have won their last two games, previously defeating USC Upstate, 91-73 on Saturday at UNF Arena. Junior Brittany Kirkland led the Ospreys with 20 points and recorded her 1,000th career point on a pair of free throws in the first half.
Kirkland leads the team in scoring on the season, averaging 15 points per game. Sophomore Taylor Smith is adding 8.5 points per game while senior Juliemay Syquio is notching 7.7 points per game. Sophomore Larkira Jones is grabbing 7.1 rebounds per game while averaging 1.7 blocks per game.
ETSU (8-8, 5-2 A-Sun) defeated Jacksonville, 69-62 on Saturday afternoon. Leading the Lady Bucs this season are a trio of players in double figures. Tara Davis is averaging 16.1 points per game. Destiny Mitchell is hitting 14.3 points and pulling down 9.0 rebounds per game. Natalie Pickwell rounds out the top scorers with 12.1 points per game.
UNF and ETSU last met in the championship game of the 2010 Atlantic Sun Conference tournament. The Lady Bucs edged the Ospreys, holding on for a 63-62 win. After trailing by 16 at 1:38 in the first half the Ospreys came back to take a four point lead midway through the second half. The two teams traded leads over the final minutes of the half and UNF led by one with 18 seconds left. The Lady Bucs brought the ball down the court and hit an off-balance jumper with two second remaining to claim the win.
ETSU holds the 9-1 lead in the all-time series, winning all three meetings last season. Kirkland averaged 14.7 points per game against the Lady Bucs last season while sophomore Jadhken Kerr averaged 10.3 points per game.
Following Monday's game, the Ospreys will be back on the road for a pair of games in Georgia. UNF will face Mercer on Saturday, Jan. 22 in a 2 p.m. game. The Ospreys will play Kennesaw State on Monday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.
