Ospreys Clip Owls in Double OT, 81-77

Saturday, February 18

Jacksonville, Fla.

7 pm

University of North Florida

14-15, 8-8ASun

Kennesaw State

3-25, 0-15ASun

OT 1

OT 2

Kennesaw State

North Florida

2/18/2012 9:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

Boxscore (PDF)
Game Book
Postgame Interview (Travis Wallace)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The North Florida basketball team secured its third consecutive trip to the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament following a thrilling 81-77 double overtime win Saturday night over Kennesaw State at UNF Arena.

The Ospreys (14-15, 8-8 ASun) earned their 10th home win of the season and third in the row by fending off a gritty Kennesaw State (3-25, 0-15) squad. The victory also snapped a two-game losing skid for UNF and marked the 16th straight for KSU.

Travis Wallace led a balanced UNF attacking finishing with a double-double including a career best 29 points and team-leading 11 rebounds. Jerron Granberry and Andy Diaz each chipped in 13 while Parker Smith added 12, despite going 1-for-11 from long distance. Will Wilson handed out a career-best nine assists in the victory.

Kennesaw State placed five players in double-digits led by 19 from Delbert Love. The Owls drained 10 three-pointers on the night but were out-rebounded 42-32 and outscored 21-8 on second chance points. The Ospreys also hit 19-of-26 (73.1 percent) free throw attempts.

“Tonight was definitely a team effort,” said UNF head coach Matthew Driscoll. “I was proud of the effort our guys played with. I thought we showed great grit, fight and determination in grinding out this important victory. We made some big stops and made our free throws to secure the win. I also was proud of the effect our fans, especially the students, had during the overtime periods.”

UNF opened the game with a five-point spurt and held KSU scoreless for four minutes. The Owls finally got on the board as Love converted a four-point play which sparked a 13-2 run for the visitors.

Kennesaw State would keep a lead for the next six minutes until a pair of free throws by Jimmy Williams put UNF back in front with six minutes left in half. The Ospreys led 38-33 after closing the opening stanza on a 5-0 surge.

The Owls scored the first six points of the second half to erase the UNF advantage, but Wallace hit a jumper to stem the KSU run. Kennesaw regained the lead on the next possession and led by as much as five before watching the Ospreys battle back to knot the score at 51 with nine minutes to play.

The two squads traded turns with the lead until UNF moved in front 61-58 following a pair of free throws by David Jeune with 21 seconds left in regulation. KSU missed a three to tie but grabbed the rebound and called a timeout setting up their final possession. Love connected on a trey from the deep corner with two ticks left to extend the game.

In first overtime, both teams held the lead a couple of times. Markeith Cummings put the Owls in front by one, 69-68, hitting a trey with 38 seconds remaining. Smith missed a triple for UNF but Jeune corralled the rebound and was fouled. He made one of two from the charity stripe to again tie the score. KSU was unable to connect on a game-winning attempt at the buzzer sending play into a second extra session.

Granberry opened the second overtime period with a three which Love answered minutes later to push the Owls back in front. Diaz scored a layup and then Wallace added another bucket off a behind-the-back pass from Wilson putting UNF up by three with 50 seconds left. However, Cummings responded with his third three tying the game for the 14th time with half a minute to play.

Wilson again got the ball into the lane and lofted a lob pass to over the basket to Wallace for the game deciding basket with three seconds on the clock. Granberry finished off the scoring with a pair of free throws to secure the win.
The game marked the second consecutive time that UNF and KSU played a multi-overtime contest as the Ospreys outlasted the Owls for a 90-88 triple overtime win last season.

On Monday night, North Florida hosts Mercer in the final home game of the season. The Ospreys will recognize the senior class of Matt Sauey and Jimmy Williams along with team managers David Miller, Adam Lee and Kasey Downard in a pregame ceremony