Live StatsESPN3 Live VideoGame Notes FORT MYERS, Fla. – Postseason play begins for University of North Florida women's basketball in the Atlantic Sun Tournament Quarterfinals as the eighth-seeded Ospreys take on top-seeded Florida Gulf Coast Friday night at Alico Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
"Our team definitely has an underdog mentality with the season that we had, but that was then and March is a new season," said head coach
Mary Tappmeyer. "We have to be extremely disciplined defensively. Communication is going to be paramount because we know it will be a loud atmosphere. If we follow the game plan and do our job, why not us?"
Friday night is UNF's fifth appearance the Atlantic Sun Tournament since becoming eligible with the 2010 Tournament. The Ospreys have faced the top-three 2015 A-Sun teams in each of the last three games and come off a loss at Stetson on Saturday to end the regular season. Additionally, UNF and Florida Gulf Coast met just last Wednesday at UNF Arena.
Lower Seed Advantage: UNF has never been the No. 8 seed in the Atlantic Sun Tournament, but has been the lower seed twice and produced favorable quarterfinal outcomes both times. In UNF's first appearance in 2010, the Ospreys were the No. 7 seed and advanced all the way to the Championship Game. UNF had the No. 5 seed in the 2013 tournament and defeated USC Upstate in the quarterfinals in order to face Florida Gulf Coast in the semifinals.
Tournament Record: UNF is 3-4 all-time in the Atlantic Sun Tournament and 2-2 in quarterfinal games.
Double-Double History: Senior
Paulina Zaveckaite enters Friday's game with 14 doubles-doubles, which is the most by a Division I Osprey.
Scouting Florida Gulf Coast: Enters Friday with a 27-2 overall record and earned the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Sun Tournament for the fourth-consecutive season… has been the No. 1 seed in each Atlantic Sun Tournament since becoming eligible for postseason play… is also nationally ranked, rising to No. 20 in AP top 25 and No. 21 in USA Today Coaches Polls… has the Atlantic Sun's Player of the Year in Whitney Knight and Coach of the Year in Karl Smesko… Knight and Kaneisha Atwater were also named All-Conference First-Team and Taylor Gradinjan received All-Freshman honors… Knight averages a team-best 15.1 points per game, while Atwater is second with 14.2 points per game… Knight also leads the team in rebounds (6.3), steals (57) and blocks (74).
UNF-FGCU Series: Florida Gulf Coast leads the all-time series 15-2 and has won the last 11 meetings.
