University of North Florida
12-18, 9-10ASUN
Stetson
7-23, 5-14ASUN
Ospreys Tip Hatters, 80-77
2/24/2011 9:36:52 PM | Men's Basketball
Final Box
DeLAND, Fla. -- Despite surrendering a double-digit lead in the final minutes, the North Florida men's basketball team got clutch free throws in the closing seconds to seal an 80-77 win Thursday night over Stetson at the Edmunds Center.
With the victory, the Ospreys (12-18, 9-10) establish a new program record for Atlantic Sun Conference wins with nine. The loss was Stetson's (7-23, 5-14) fifth straight and 12 in their last 13 games.
Jerron Granberry collected his second consecutive game with 20-plus points finishing with 21 which included a 9-of-10 performance at the free throw line and four three-pointers. Andy Diaz added 19 points in the win and Parker Smith also finished in double digits scoring 14 point with four treys.
Jimmy Williams had 10 rebounds and six assists for UNF while Brad Haugabrook also handed out six assists, moving him into third on the school's career assist list 232.
A pair of Stetson players topped the 20-point mark with Ridge Graham tallying 23 and Tyshawn Patterson with 21.
“I am very proud of our guys getting another win on the road,” said UNF head coach Matthew Driscoll, who earned the 25th win of his two-year UNF coaching tenure. “It is never easy to win in this league, so it is nice to get out of here with a victory. We were really clicking early in the second half but for some reason we just let up and allowed them back into the game. We have to keep working and keep this winning roll going as we get ready for the A-Sun Tournament.”
The two squads battled back-and-forth through the opening 10 minutes of the game with both teams taking a turn with the lead. The Hatters led by six, 16-10, but Smith connected on three consecutive three-pointers to regain the lead for the Ospreys.
After Stetson tied the score at 21, UNF used a 12-4 run sparked by back-to-back buckets from Diaz and another Smith trifecta to grab its largest lead of the first half, 33-25, with 3:44 remaining.
The teams traded treys before Stetson closed the half with an 8-2 run of their own. North Florida held a slim 38-36 lead at halftime. The Ospreys were clicking from long distance hitting 54 percent (7-13) from the three-point line with half of UNF's baskets coming from downtown.
Out of the break, North Florida scored the first seven points en route to an 18-7 opening run which allowed the Ospreys to open up a double-digit lead, 56-43, at the 12:54 mark. Granberry closed the spurt for UNF scoring the final seven points.
The Ospreys seemed to have things in control with a 69-54 lead and just under eight minutes remaining. However, Stetson began to chip away at the UNF lead and cut the margin to six, 70-64, with 4:06 on the clock. North Florida struggled during the stretch going scoreless for nearly three minutes and missing several free throw opportunities after opening the game by marking 12 straight from the charity stripe.
The Hatters kept battling and eventually pulled to within one, 74-73, after a free throw by Patterson with 22 seconds left. Granberry then hit a pair of free throws for UNF for a three-point advantage.
Stetson's next possession saw Patterson at the line again where he hit his first and missed his second attempt, but Joel Naburgs grabbed the rebound and was fouled where he went to the line with a chance to tie the game with 0:14 remaining. Naburgs made only one and Smith and David Jeune each drained a pair of free throws over the final 10 seconds to secure the victory for the Ospreys.
North Florida now concludes its regular season slate Saturday at Florida Gulf Coast at 7:30 p.m. The Ospreys' win tonight also locked up the No. 6 seed at the upcoming A-Sun Conference Tournament in Macon, Ga.
