Women's Basketball Tripped Up at Florida Gulf Coast

Monday, January 7

Fort Myers, Fla.

5:15 p.m.

University of North Florida

-69, 22 ASun

Florida Gulf Coast

-115, 40 ASun

Team	1	2	F
UNF	18	24	42
Florida Gulf Coast	20	33	53

Photo by: JC Ridley

1/7/2013 7:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

Boxscore (PDF)

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Despite holding Florida Gulf Coast to its second-lowest shooting percentage of the season, University of North Florida women's basketball was unable to pull off the upset and fell 53-42 at Alico Arena.

“The game was closer than what the score tells,” said head coach Mary Tappmeyer. “We had a great defense all night against one of the top offensive teams in the conference. Unfortunately, we couldn't get our shots to fall and that hurt us.”

Raneisha Lamar paced the Ospreys with 11 points and seven rebounds.

Sarah Hansen had a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double to led the Eagles. Brittany Kennedy and Jaime Gluesing added 14 and 11 points, respectively.

UNF outshot the Eagles, while both teams grabbed 31 rebounds. The Ospreys were 39.0 percent (16-for-41) from the floor compared to Florida Gulf Coast's 30.2 percent (16-for-53).

Solid defense in the first half kept it a close game. UNF held Florida Gulf Coast to its lowest points total (20) and field goal percentage (22.6 percent) in a first half this season.

Both teams battled and control of the lead flip-flopped between the two teams. With the Eagles up by one, UNF used back-to-back layups from Chandler Merkerson and Shayla Wilson to go up 14-11 at 6:51. However, Florida Gulf Coast chipped away at the Ospreys' lead and scored the half's last five points en route to taking a 20-18 lead at halftime.

The Eagles came out of the break on a 9-0 run and UNF found itself trailing 29-18 early in the second half. UNF attempted to rally and chipped away at the Eagles' lead, pulling to within four when Lamar hit a pair of free throws at 4:29 to make it 40-36. However, that was the closest the Ospreys could get.

UNF returns to its home court on Saturday when the Ospreys host Kennesaw State in an Atlantic Sun doubleheader. Tip off is set for 2 p.m.