HOOP SCOOP: Ospreys Visit NJIT and FGCU

By: North Florida Athletics

Men's Basketball | 2/5/2020 5:15:00 PM

ASUN Road Weekend
Game 25: NJIT	Thursday, Feb. 6 \| 7 p.m. \| Newark, N.J. \| NJIT WEC
Game 25: NJIT	TV/Video: ESPN+ ($) \| Live Stats
Series History	UNF leads 7-4 \| @UNF: 3-2 / @NJIT: 3-2 / @Neutral: 1-0 \| Streak: L1
Last Meeting	NJIT 78, UNF 66 @ UNF Arena (Jan. 11, 2020) \| Recap / Boxscore
Social Media	@OspreysMBB \| #SWOOPLife \| Facebook \| @UNFOspreys

Game 26: FGCU	Saturday, Feb. 8 \| 7 p.m. \| Fort Myers, Fla. \| Alico Arena
Game 26: FGCU	TV/Video: ESPN+ ($) \| Live Stats
Series History	UNF trails 20-12 \| @UNF: 8-7 / @FGCU: 4-11 / @Neutral: 0-2 \| Streak: W1
Last Meeting	UNF 89, FGCU 74 @ UNF Arena (Jan. 9, 2020) \| Recap / Boxscore

JACKSONVILLE - ASUN co-leader North Florida faces a challenging conference road trek this weekend with games Thursday at NJIT and Saturday against FGCU.

1. REWIND
North Florida is coming off a weekend home sweep last weekend posting wins over Stetson (78-65) and Kennesaw State (86-45) | The Ospreys limited KSU to 17 points in the first half (fewest allowed by UNF this season) and earned the 41-point victory (largest in program history for ASUN play) | Garrett Sams led the way for UNF finishing with 21 points while Wajid Aminu chipped in a double-double (10 pts/ 14 rebs) along with five blocked shots | The win versus Stetson allowed the Ospreys to finish the first half of the ASUN schedule with a 6-2 mark and share of the top spot in the standings

2. #BIRDSofTREY
With 291 3PM this season, UNF leads the nation from beyond the arc and is the only team with 275+ makes | The Ospreys have posted double digit 3PM in 19 games this season and are currently averaging a nation's best 12.1 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 every player on the roster has attempted a three-pointer | North Florida lineup features four players with 50+ 3PM this season

3. SALUTING SAMS
Senior Garrett Sams was named the ASUN Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 22.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG in the Ospreys's two wins | Sams also blistered the nets at over 71% from the floor including 62% from the three-point line, making 10 treys on the week | Honor marked the second of the season and career for Sams and was the fourth time a UNF player has been recognized by the league office

4. MILESTONE MOVEMENTS
North Florida recorded the 100th home win of the Matthew Driscoll era versus Stetson | Wajid Aminu became the Osprey's all-time leader in blocked shots following his five swats against KSU... His career total is 180 | Garrett Sams moved into 4th place on UNF's all-time scoring list with 1,414 points | Ivan Gandia-Rosa is 17 assists shy of becoming progam's all-time assist leader | JT Escobar is 4 points shy of 1,000 for his collegiate career and 24 points away from joining North Florida's 1,000-Point Club (he would become the fourth player on the current roster to reach that milestone)

5. LAST TIME WE MET
The Highlanders handed North Florida its first ASUN loss of the season and snapped a 10-game home win streak for UNF with a 78-66 win in Jacksonville on Jan. 11 | Wajid Aminu netted 20 points for the Ospreys, who were held to a season-low six three-pointers and surrendered 19 points on 13 turnovers | NJIT got a career high 37 point performance (16 of 23 FGs) from San Antonio Brinson along with 21 points from Shyquan Gibbs

North Florida collected its second win in the last three meetings with FGCU following an eight-game losing skid | All five starters reached double figures and accounted for 80 points for UNF in the 89-74 victory with JT Escobar leading the way with 23 points including 6 three-pointers | Ospreys finished with 16 treys | Caleb Catto scored 16 points to pace a quartet of Eagles in double digits

SCOUTING NJIT
- NJIT comes into the contest holding a 7-14 (4-4 ASUN) record | Have alternated wins and losses over last four games
- Highlanders are 4-4 at home this season but are coming off a 78-74 loss to North Alabama in their last outing
- NJIT is currently ranked fourth in the ASUN standings
- Zach Cooks averages 19.5 PPG as one of the ASUN's top scorers
- The visiting team has claimed the win in each of the last four meetings of this series

SCOUTING FGCU
- FGCU is 7-17 (4-5 ASUN) on the year and will host Stetson on Thursday before hosting the Ospreys
- The Eagles have lost three of their last four outings including a 61-46 decision at Liberty last Saturday
- FGCU owns a 5-7 record at home this year
- A trio of Eagles average in double figures led by Caleb Catto at 12.1 PPG
- North Florida owns just four wins all-time at Alico Arena with losses in their last six visits | Last UNF win in Fort Myers was Feb. 25, 2015 (76-62)

PROBABLE OSPREY STARTERS
G - Ivan Gandia-Rosa (14.3 PPG | 3.1 RPG | 5.8 APG)
G - JT Escobar (11.7 PPG | 1.6 RPG)
G - Garrett Sams (15.2 PPG | 4.4 RPG)
F - Carter Hendricksen (14.7 PPG | 7.8 RPG)
F - Wajid Aminu (10.0 PPG | 6.5 RPG | 2.0 BPG)

UP NEXT
The Ospreys return to UNF Arena for a pair of key ASUN rematches next weekend, hosting games against crosstown rival Jacksonville (Thursday, Feb. 13) and North Alabama (Saturday, Feb. 15)

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

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

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

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

#3 Carter Hendricksen: F; 6' 7"; Junior; Sport Management

Players Mentioned

#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

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

#3 Carter Hendricksen
: 6' 7"; Junior; Sport Management
: F