HOOP SCOOP: Ospreys Open Home ASUN Play with FGCU and NJIT

By: North Florida Athletics

Men's Basketball | 1/8/2020 2:17:00 PM

ASUN Home Games
Game 18: FGCU	Thursday, Jan. 9 \| 7 p.m. \| Jacksonville, Fla. \| UNF Arena
Game 18: FGCU	TV/Video: ESPN+ ($) \| Live Stats
Series History	UNF trails 20-11 \| @UNF: 7-7 / @FGCU: 4-11 / @Neutral: 0-2 \| Streak: L1
Last Meeting	FGCU 88, UNF 80 @ Alico Arena (Jan. 27, 2019) \| Recap / Boxscore
Social Media	@OspreysMBB \| #SWOOPLife \| Facebook \| @UNFOspreys

Game 19: NJIT	Saturday, Jan. 11 \| 5 p.m. \| Jacksonville, Fla. \| UNF Arena
Game 19: NJIT	TV/Video: ESPN+ ($) \| Live Stats
Series History	UNF leads 7-3 \| @UNF: 3-1 / @NJIT: 3-2 / @Neutral: 1-0 \| Streak: W1
Last Meeting	UNF 64, NJIT 63 @ Newark, N.J. (Feb. 16, 2019) \| Recap / Boxscore

JACKSONVILLE - After not having a home competition in over a month, the North Florida men's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of UNF Arena for three of its next four games beginning with Thursday's home ASUN debut against rival FGCU at 7 p.m.

1. REWIND
North Florida closed out its seven-game road trek with win at North Alabama, 81-65, on Saturday | Win marked a sweep of the Opsrey's ASUN opening weekend set and kept them undefeated (4-0) all-time versus the Lions | Garrett Sams led a quartet of UNF players in double figures finishing with 18 points followed closely by JT Escobar (17 pts) and Wajid Aminu (16 pts) | Carter Hendricksen chipped in his fifth double-double of the year posting 15 pts/13 rebs | UNF connected on 13 three-pointers

2. #BIRDSofTREY
With 211 3PM this season, UNF leads the nation from beyond the arc and only team with 200+ makes | The Ospreys have posted double digit 3PM in 14 games this season and are currently averaging a nation's best 12.4 threes per game | Against Trinity Baptist (Nov. 18) UNF connected on a program record 21 three-pointers | Ten different players have made a trey this season for North Florida while all 12 players on the roster have attempted a three-pointer

3. HOME SWEET HOME
The Ospreys have now won nine straight at UNF Arena heading into Thursday's home clash with FGCU (5-0 this season) | UNF has boasted 10+ wins at home in each of the last five seasons | North Florida is 61-15 at home since start of 2014-15 season and owns a 97-41 mark during head coach Matthew Driscoll's 11-year tenure | Last home game for UNF was Dec. 2 versus High Point

4. MILESTONE MOVEMENTS
With Saturday's victory, UNF head coach Matthew Driscoll moved into a 5th alll-time in the ASUN for head coaching victories (172) | Senior Ivan Gandia-Rosa joined the 1,000-Point Club in late December and needs just four assists (averages 5.9 APG) to become only the second player in program history with 1,000 Points and 500 Assists

5. LAST TIME WE MET
Against FGCU, Eagles edged the Ospreys, 88-80, despite a season best 25 point effort by Wajid Aminu highlighted by a 3 of 4 performance from the 3-point line... Ivan Gandia-Rosa narrowly missed a double-double with 10 pts/9 assts... FGCU held a slim 45-44 advantage at the half... Shadrac Casimir led the way for the Eagles with 32 points | Versus NJIT, North Florida outlasted NJIT, 64-63, securing a hard fought road win... Ospreys led by double digits (11) with 1:33 remaining but had to hold off a late surge from the Highlanders... Former Osprey Noah Horchler led the way with 22 pts/7 rebs while Wajid Aminu added 13 pts/9 rebs... Abdul Lewis posted a double-double (20 pts/11 rebs) in the loss for NJIT...

SCOUTING FGCU
- FGCU brings a 4-13 mark into Thursday's match-up including a 1-1 ASUN record
- Eagles snapped a two-game skid with their 68-61 win vs Lipscomb on Saturday
- Florida Gulf Coast is 0-7 on the road this season and will be playing their first ASUN game away from home of the season
- FGCU lineup features a pair of double-digit scorers led by Zach Scott's 11.4 PPG
- Ospreys and Eagles split last season's meetings with home team victorious in both contests | UNF's victory snapped an eight-game skid vs FGCU

SCOUTING NJIT
- NJIT owns a 3-11 overall record (0-1 ASUN) heading into the weekend
- Highlanders will face off against Jacksonville on Thursday before visiting UNF on Saturday
- Entering the weekend, NJIT has dropped two straight and 9 of last 10
- NJIT is 1-8 on the road this season | Lone victory was 59-58 at Cornell on Nov. 13
- Zach Cooks, the ASUN scoring leader, is the lone Highlander in double digits averaging 20.9 PPG | Souleymane Diakite tops the conference in rebounding with 9.4 RPG
- Ospreys and Highlanders split last year's meetings with road teams earning the victory | UNF has won 3 of last 4 games with last three meetings decided by four points or less

PROBABLE OSPREY STARTERS
G - Ivan Gandia-Rosa (14.1 PPG | 3.3 RPG | 5.8 APG)
G - JT Escobar (12.5 PPG | 1.4 RPG)
G - Garrett Sams (14.1 PPG | 3.9 RPG)
F - Carter Hendricksen (15.5 PPG | 8.4 RPG)
F - Wajid Aminu (9.6 PPG | 5.9 RPG | 1.7 BPG)

UP NEXT
After making their ASUN home debut, North Florida heads crosstown for the first edition of the River City Rumble next Thursday (Jan. 16) versus Jacksonville at Historic Swisher Gym.

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

#0 Noah Horchler: F; 6' 8"; Junior; Criminal Justice

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

#3 JT Escobar: G; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; Master's - Criminal Justice

#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

#0 Noah Horchler
: 6' 8"; Junior; Criminal Justice
: F

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

#3 JT Escobar
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; Master's - Criminal Justice
: G

#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