TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Thanks to an 11-0 run to open the game and a hot start in the second half, North Florida (7-5) never trailed en route to a 64-54 win at Florida A&M (0-11) Thursday, Dec. 30, closing out the 2021 calendar year.
Jazz Bond tallied a 14-point and 10-rebound double-double to go with her five blocks, as the Ospreys outscored the Rattlers 34-14 in the paint to take care of business in Tallahassee.
UNF led for 38 minutes and 22 seconds, seeing the game tied just once at 24-24 with 3:54 in the second quarter.
UNF 64, FAMU 54
Beyond the Box Score
- First Quarter: North Florida opened the game on an 11-0 run … FAMU didn't get on the board until after the first media timeout at 3:56 … FAMU hit a three just before the first buzzer to get within four at 17-13.
- Second Quarter: FAMU put up an 8-0 run in the second quarter, its best run of the game, to tie things up for the first and only time since the opening tip-off … Emma Broermann converted a layup to break a 24-24 tie as UNF and FAMU were never tied again the rest of the way … the Ospreys closed the second frame on an 8-2 run.
- Third Quarter: The start of the third quarter set the tone for the rest of the game … Jazz Bond made a pair of layups, Rhetta Moore drilled a three-pointer in the corner and Kaila Rougier got free for a layup off a Jazz Bond block, creating a 41-31 advantage … FAMU put up a 5-0 run, but not before UNF closed the session on an 11-3 run to race ahead.
- Fourth Quarter: The Ospreys led by a game-high 18 points at the 5:09 mark in the game, pulling away from the Rattlers for good … 11 different Ospreys saw time in the fourth, including Tia Robinson who made her 2021-22 debut.
Leaders By the Numbers
FAMU
- Malerie Brooks | 15 points
- Maleaha Bell | 8 rebounds
- Anisah Douglas | 4 assists
UNF
Coach Gibbs' Comments
"It was a solid win. We haven't played for 18 days and it's been a long break for us with the cancellation and then the holidays. It was a good way to start off this next stretch. We had a really solid week of practice and felt good about how that carried over to today, especially on the defensive end of the floor. It was good to see more balanced scoring today, which is something we've been struggling with all season. We had a lot more balance in our scoring, and our rebounding. Summah and Jaida were both really good for us on the boards, and I thought how we came out in the third quarter was the difference in the game."
Notes
- UNF is 7-0 on the season when possessing the lead at the half.
- The Ospreys are 4-0 all-time against FAMU.
- Jazz Bond has 4.5 blocks per game over her last four games.
- Jazz Bond picked up her fourth double-double of the season, needing just 23 minutes to do so.
- It's UNF's second road win of the year.
- The Ospreys had 17 fast break points to just two for FAMU.
Up Next
North Florida opens ASUN play at FGCU Wednesday, Jan. 5.
