Ospreys Topped by Tigers, 84-71

Saturday, December 17

Auburn, Ala.

7 pm (CT)

University of North Florida

5-6 (1-0)

Auburn

6-1

North Florida

Auburn

12/17/2011 10:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Boxscore (PDF)
Game Book

AUBURN, Ala. -- The North Florida basketball team opened its three-game road swing with a hard-fought 84-71 loss Saturday night against Auburn in Auburn Arena.

The Ospreys (5-6) battled for most of the game against the Tigers (6-1) in a very physical contest. Both teams were in the double bonus midway through the second half and Auburn benefitted from 43 free throw attempts in the game.

Travis Wallace finished with 13 points, including nine in the first half, and seven rebounds to lead the UNF attack. Andy Diaz chipped in 11 for the Ospreys.

Varez Ward scored 17 points to lead a quartet of Auburn players in double digits.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair with both teams holding leads. Behind an 8-2 spurt, Auburn built the first significant lead, 17-11, with 13:21 remaining in the opening period. Parker Smith then capped a six point surge by the Ospreys with a three-pointer that knotted the score at 17.

After the Tigers moved in front by five, 31-26, with just over five minutes left in the half, North Florida mounted a charge with a 10-2 run and regained the lead. Auburn scored the final six points of the half for a slim 39-36 halftime advantage.

AU tallied four quick points to start the second half, but UNF again rallied and claimed a 47-47 tie with 13:36 left in the game. The Tigers would score the next five points and hold a lead the rest of the way. North Florida pulled with two points several times in the closing minutes but Auburn was able to secure the win from the free throw line going 9 for 10 in the final two minutes.

For the game, UNF shot 48 percent from the floor (26-54) including an 8-for-18 (44 percent) performance from the three-point line. The Ospreys struggled at the charity stripe making just 11 of 25 free throw attempts. Auburn finished the game shooting 50 percent from the floor and hitting 28 of 43 free throws.

Jimmy Williams collected a season high nine assists for the Ospreys and Matt Sauey added three more blocked shots to his UNF career record mark.

North Florida continues its road trek Monday at Virginia Tech and then closes the swing Wednesday at Florida A&M.