Final Second Free Throws Secure #MBB Win over Bethune-Cookman

Saturday, December 21

Jacksonville, Fla.

7 pm

University of North Florida

6-7

Bethune-Cookman

2-13

Bethune-Cookman

North Florida

Photo by: Todd Drexler

Final Second Free Throws Secure #MBB Win over Bethune-Cookman

12/21/2013 10:36:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

Boxscore (pdf)
Game Book

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The North Florida basketball team converted four free throws in the final second to secure a hard fought 68-64 victory over in-state foe Bethune-Cookman on Saturday night in UNF Arena.

With the scored tied at 64 after a three-pointer by BCU's Clemmye Owens, UNF's Jalen Nesbitt got the inbounds pass and weaved his way into the lane over the final seven seconds and drew a foul with just under a second to play. Beau Beech hit a pair of free throws after Wildcat head coach Gravelle Craig picked up a technical foul disputing the foul on Nesbitt, and Nesbitt dropped in both his attempts from the charity stripe to set the final margin.

For the Ospreys (6-7), the win extended UNF's home win streak to four games while also snapping the squad's current three-game skid. The victory matched the program's Division I era record for non-conference wins (6) and marked the best season start since a 9-4 open in 2003-04. North Florida also improved to 4-0 in games decided by five points or less this year.

Bethune-Cookman slipped to 2-13 on the year after playing their 10th consecutive road contest.

Beech and freshman Dallas Moore each finished with 15 points to pace the Osprey offense with freshman Romelo Banks adding 10 points off the bench, going 5-of-6 from the floor.

Travis Elliott scored 14 points in leading a quartet of of BCU players in double digits.

"I am extremely proud of this win and how our guys performed in this very challenging schedule," said UNF head coach Matthew Driscoll. "We had some things going offensively but allowed a few too many three-pointers and offensive rebounds. Our guys again showed resilence in holding off a late charge and making the plays down the stretch to earn the win. We will enjoy a few days off for the holiday and then come back and turn our focus to conference play. I believe that the team is ready to begin the next phase of the season."

The Wildcats scored the games first five points before a Moore layup and three-pointer by Beech evened the score. Neither team would hold larger than a three point advantage through the first 14 minutes of the half. An alley-oop dunk by Demarcus Daniels capped a 10-3 spurt over a two minute span allowing the Ospreys to open up a 35-25 lead with 3:50 remaining in the period.

UNF would maintain a lead and earn their largest margin of the game when Chris Davenport drilled a three-pointer just before the buzzer giving the Ospreys a 43-32 lead at the half..

BCU rallied early in the second half using an 11-4 run over the opening four minutes. A few minutes later, the Wildcats tied the score at 47, setting up a back-and-forth competition for the next six minutes.

Nine straight points including a layup by Travis Wallace, a jumper by Charles McRoy and five points from Moore seemed to give the Ospreys control of the game, 62-53, with 3:36 left to play. The Wildcats refused to go away though chipping away at the UNF lead before Owens trey set up the exciting closing seconds.

North Florida will be off for nine days from competition before returning to the hardwood on Dec. 30 against Kennesaw State in the team's Atlantic Sun Conference opener at UNF Arena.