Late Rally Falls Short for #MBB vs FGCU

Thursday, January 9

Jacksonville, Fla.

7 pm

University of North Florida

9-9, 3-2ASUN

Florida Gulf Coast

10-7, 4-0ASUN

Florida Gulf Coast

North Florida

Photo by: Todd Drexler

1/9/2014 10:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

Final Boxscore (pdf)
Game Book

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- After rallying from eight points down with just over a minute to play, the North Florida basketball team saw its chance to tie the score rim out in the closing seconds as Florida Gulf Coast escaped with a 79-75 victory Thursday night in front of 3,181 fans at UNF Arena.

The Ospreys (9-9, 3-2 Atlantic Sun) saw a six game home win streak halted by the Eagles (10-7, 4-0 ASun), who have now won four straight in the series. The game was tied 38-38 at the half, but UNF was held to just 39 percent shooting in the closing period while FGCU connected at a 52 percent clip.

Sophomore Beau Beech led the way for UNF finishing with 14 points, including four three-pointers, to go along with seven rebounds and four steals. Freshman Dallas Moore chipped in 13 points while seniors Travis Wallace and Charles McRoy each finished with nine.

FGCU saw four of its five starters reach double figures led by 15 points and five assists from Brett Comer.

"I'm extremely proud of how we continued to battle especially in the closing minutes and gave ourselves a chance to tied the game," said UNF head coach Matthew Driscoll. "Unfortunately, when you are playing against the top teams in your league you have to be able to play at a consistently high level throughout the game and we just had some moments where we weren't at our best. We are a very good team, but we are not very food when we don't stay locked in defensively. I thought our crowd was amazing and created a true college basketball atmosphere."

UNF raced out to an early 8-2 lead as the Ospreys hit their first three shots including back-to-back treys by Beech and Moore. The Eagles answered and even the score at 9-9 at the first media timeout. The game would remain a one possession contest for much of the opening half with the teams swapping the lead eight times and knotting the score on four occasions.

Midway through the opening period, FGCU used a 10-0 spurt to open up a 26-17 advantage. The Eagles would maintain an edge over the next several minutes until the Ospreys responded with a 10-2 run of their own capped by back-to-back three pointers by Demarcus Daniels to recapture the lead, 33-32.

Jalen Nesbitt slammed home a rebound with under a minute to play in the half to give the Ospreys a lead, but Dajuan Graf converted a driving layup at the buzzer to send the squad's into the break all tied up.

North Florida charged ahead early in the second half using a 10-4 surge to open up a 48-42 advantage just over four minutes into the action. The Ospreys hold unto a slight lead until a two-minute stretch with six minutes left saw the Eagles score nine consecutive points to take a 71-62 lead with 4:42 remaining.

After UNF cut into the deficit, Comer hit a late shot clock three-pointer to push FGCU back in front by eight, 74-66, with 1:24 left on the clock.

McRoy opened the Osprey rally with a pair of free throws followed by a three-pointer by Beech. Nesbitt converted a pair of free throws with 22 seconds left to pull UNF within a point, 74-73. After a pair of FGCU free throws, Chris Davenport made a layup to keep the margin at one. Jamail Jones made one of two free throws for the Eagles with 10 seconds remaining setting up UNF's final possession.

Nesbitt raced the inbounds pass up the floor and was fouled by Comer with five seconds showing on the clock. His first free throw attempt circled the inside of the rim before sliding out and he was whistled for a lane violation after missing his second attempt on purpose. FGCU got a final pair of free throws to secure the win.

The attendance of 3,181 was the largest crowd at a UNF basketball game this season and marked the largest attendance for a game not played against rival Jacksonville.

North Florida continues its current three-game home stand Saturday when the Ospreys host in-state foe Stetson at 7 p.m.