University of North Florida
No. 5 Jacksonville
UNF Takes On Jacksonville in A-Sun Tournament Opener
3/2/2011 2:16:05 PM | Women's Basketball
MACON, Ga. – The No. 4 seeded University of North Florida women's basketball team is set to take on No. 5 seeded, crosstown rival Jacksonville on Thursday, March 3 at noon during the second day of opening round action at the 2011 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Conference Women's Basketball Championship hosted by Mercer University in Macon, Ga. at the University Center.
UNF (13-16, 11-9 A-Sun) picked up a pair of wins over JU (13-16, 8-12 A-Sun) during the regular season. In the contest at UNF Arena, the Ospreys claimed a 58-44 decision before winning, 55-49 at Veterans Memorial.
First Team All-Atlantic Sun selection, junior Brittany Kirkland averaged 17.5 points per game against the Dolphins over the two contests while senior Juliemay Syquio put up 11.0 points per game. The 2011 Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year, sophomore Larkira Jones grabbed 11.5 rebounds per game, posted three blocks and a pair of steals against the Dolphins.
Kirkland leads the Ospreys on the season, averaging 13.9 points per game. Sophomore Taylor Smith is adding 9.3 points while Jones notches 7.3 points per game. Jones is grabbing a team-best 9.7 rebounds per game and tallying league-leading 2.28 blocks per game. Syquio is handing out 3.83 assists per game.
The Dolphins are led on the season by Taneskei Richardson with 11.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Gigi Thomas is adding 10.6 points per game and Lynsey Paschal is notching 9.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per outing.
Thomas led the Dolphins in the game at UNF with 20 points while in the return game, JU was paced by Richardson with 13 and Crystal Bell who came off the bench to add 12 points.
This marks the 14th meeting between the two teams and the second time the two teams have faced each other in the A-Sun Tournament. Last season UNF advanced to the finals after defeating JU in the semifinals, 50-46. The Dolphins hold the all-time series lead at 8-5, but the Ospreys have won the past four meetings.
The winner of Thursday's game will advance to Friday's semifinals and face No. 1 seeded East Tennessee State at noon.
UNF Game Notes vs. Jacksonville
