Boxscore (PDF)
 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Despite a career-high 16 points from Bailey Florin and a double-double by Paulina Zaveckaite, turnovers hurt the University of North Florida women's basketball as the Ospreys opened the season with a 72-59 loss to Georgia State on Saturday night at UNF Arena.
 
"Both Bailey and Paulina played really well for us tonight," said head coach Mary Tappmeyer.
 
Florin was 5-for-9 for the night, including 3-for-5 from three-point range en route to her 16 points, which was also a game-high. Her previous career-best for points was 15 against Lipscomb last season.
 
"Bailey was an added spark when she came into the game, hitting some big threes," said Tappmeyer.
 
Zaveckaite registered an 11-point, 17-rebound for the Ospreys' first double-double of the season. Her 17 rebounds are the most she's had in her UNF career and was just one board short of tying UNF's fifth-best single-game mark.
 
"Paulina's always been a beast on the boards," said head coach Mary Tappmeyer. "She did a really good job on the glass."
 
UNF shot 38.6 percent (22-for-57) for the game, but committed 28 turnovers.
 
Brittany Logan and Kayla Nolan paced Georgia State with 15 points each, while Alisha Andrews added in 11. Logan also pulled down nine rebounds and Nolan tallied five steals.
 
Georgia State shot 37.7 percent (26-for-69). The Panthers took advantage of the Ospreys' miscues, scoring 34 points off UNF's turnovers.
 
"It's difficult to win the game when you don't take very good care of the ball," said Mary Tappmeyer. "We made some bad decisions with some of our passes. Thirty-four of their points came off of our 28 turnovers. If we had taken care of the ball, it would have been a different game. We have some young talent, but you have to ride through the growing pains with that young talent."
 
A slow start saw the Ospreys trail by as many as nine, but UNF chipped away at the deficit and pulled to within two points. Zaveckaite converted on a free throw at 6:21 to make it 20-18. As the teams battled back and forth, Georgia State attempted to pull away and used a 10-4 run to close out the first half with a 36-26 lead.
 
Although UNF shot 50.0 percent (13-for-26) in the second half, it was not enough. Georgia State grew its lead to 11 on a Nolan free throw at 15:11 that made it 45-34. The Ospreys answered with a 9-2 run to come to within four points. A Florin three sparked the run, while a Robinson jumper made it 47-43 at 11:40. However, two quick free throws and a three-point lifted the Panthers to a nine-point 52-43 lead at 10:57. A five-point run pulled UNF to within four points once again, but Georgia State gradually pulled away and gained a double-digit lead with 4:53 to go.
 
UNF returns to action on Tuesday when the Ospreys host Edward Waters at UNF Arena during Elementary School Day. Over 2,500 elementary students are expected to be in attendance for the annual field trip game. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m.