HOOP SCOOP: Ospreys Host Florida National

By: North Florida Athletics

Men's Basketball | 11/6/2019 10:28:00 AM

HOME OPENER
Game 2: Florida National	Thursday, Nov. 7 \| 7 p.m. \| Jacksonville, Fla. \| UNF Arena
Game 2: Florida National	TV/Video: Live Stats \| Watch (ESPN+) $ \| Buy Tickets
Series History	UNF leads 3-0 \| @UNF: 3-0, @FNU: 0-0 \| Streak: Won 3
Last Meeting	UNF 104, FNU 76 \| Jan. 2, 2019 at UNF Arena \| Recap - Boxscore
Social Media	@OspreysMBB \| #SWOOPLife \| Facebook \| @UNFOspreys

JACKSONVILLE - The North Florida basketball team opens up the home portion of its 2019-20 campaign Thursday at 7 p.m. against Florida National in UNF Arena. The game tips off a four-game home stand for the Ospreys.

1. HOME DEBUTS
North Florida is 21-6 all-time in home debuts with Matthew Driscoll guiding UNF to wins in 9 of his 10 home lid-lifters | Ospreys have won their last five home openers including a 95-83 decision over Edward Waters last year

2. HOME SWEET HOME
The Ospreys carry a four-game win streak at UNF Arena heading into Thursday's clash | UNF has boasted 10+ wins at home in each of the last five seasons | North Florida is 56-15 at home the last five years and own a 92-41 mark under Driscoll

3. PRESEASON HONORS
UNF is a consensus pick to challenge for the ASUN Championship this season | The league's coach's poll and media poll both tabbed the Ospreys to finish 2nd in the conference as did most national basketball publications | North Florida led the ASUN in preseason honorees with Ivan Gandia-Rosa, Wajid Aminu and Garrett Sams all garnering All-ASUN honors | Aminu was also named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

4. NON DI FOES
Ospreys have played 20 non-D1 opponents in Driscoll's 9-year tenure boasting a 20-0 mark | North Florida has reached triple digits in 7 of last 9 games vs Non DI teams including a 104-76 victory versus Florida National last year

5. LOOK BACK
North Florida opened the season on Tuesday night on the road at No. 6 Florida where they dropped a hard fought 74-59 decision | #BirdsofTrey made 11 three-pointers in the game and outscored the Gators in the second half (37-35), while also holding UF to its lowest scoring output in the all-time series

SCOUTING FLORIDA NATIONAL
- The Conquistadors are an NAIA DII Independent program
- Florida National owns a 3-2 mark this season after snapping a two-game skid with a 103-91 win versus Johnson & Wales on Tuesday night
- FNU has five players averaging double-digits led by Jeffrey Hernandez at 17.8 PPG
- Florida National is averaging 90.8 PPG this season and have made almost 10 three-pointers per contest
- UNF has topped the 100-point mark in each of the last two meetings with FNU

PROBABLE OSPREY STARTERS
G - Ivan Gandia-Rosa (6.0 PPG | 6.0 RPG | 8.0 APG)
G - JT Escobar (15.0 PPG | 2.0 RPG)
G - Garrett Sams (14.0 PPG | 6.0 RPG)
F - Carter Hendricksen (8.0 PPG | 7.0 RPG)
F - Wajid Aminu (8.0 PPG | 3.0 RPG)

UP NEXT
The Ospreys stay at home continues Monday as UNF welcomes Georgia Southern for a 7 p.m. tipoff

FOLLOW THE ACTION: Stay connected with the Ospreys all season long by following @OspreysMBB and @UNFOspreys on Twitter for all of the latest UNF men's basketball updates. Be sure to use the hashtag #SWOOPLife and #BirdsofTrey

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Players Mentioned

#2 Wajid Aminu: F; 6' 7"; Senior; International Business

#10 Ivan Gandia-Rosa: G; 6' 1"; Senior; Sport Management

#23 Carter Hendricksen: F; 6' 7"; Sophomore; Sport Management

#11 Garrett Sams: G/F; 6' 7"; Senior; Sport Management

Players Mentioned

#2 Wajid Aminu
: 6' 7"; Senior; International Business
: F

#10 Ivan Gandia-Rosa
: 6' 1"; Senior; Sport Management
: G

#23 Carter Hendricksen
: 6' 7"; Sophomore; Sport Management
: F

#11 Garrett Sams
: 6' 7"; Senior; Sport Management
: G/F