SPOKANE, Wash. - North Florida men's basketball started the season with one of its toughest tests to open a year in program history as the Ospreys played at No. 2 Gonzaga, dropping the opener Monday, Nov. 7.
Carter Hendricksen became the eighth Osprey to eclipse 200-career three-pointers, leading UNF in scoring with 16 points as North Florida (0-1) came up short, 103-64, against the Bulldogs.
Jose Placer and
Jadyn Parker joined in the double-digit scoring for UNF in North Florida's first-ever meeting with Gonzaga (1-0). Monday night's game marks the highest-ranked foe UNF has taken on to open the year since playing at No. 2 Michigan State Nov. 10, 2017. It's also the second time UNF has faced a No. 2-ranked team on the west coast in as many seasons.
Tonight's game was the first of three contests UNF has on it schedule against teams ranked in the preseason top five.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
1st Half
- Jose Placer and Carter Hendricksen both found the bottom of the net from deep to help UNF to a 10-8 lead early, although Gonzaga went on its game-high run to break open the half … Placer and Hendricksen paced the team with nine points apiece, while Hendricksen converted his 200th-career three-pointer in the first half … the Bulldogs scored 36 of their 53 points in the paint.
2nd Half
- Parker found a rhythm in the second half, putting up 11 points and four boards across nearly 11 minutes … shooting guard Oscar Berry got loose for a pair of three-pointers in his UNF debut as North Florida sent all 13 Ospreys to the floor in the second session, although Gonzaga was able to keep its distance to secure the opener.
BY THE NUMBERS
UNF
#2 Gonzaga
- Drew Timme | 22 points, 10-19, 3 steals
- Anton Watson | 10 points, 5 steals
- Efton Reid | 8 points, 8 rebounds
NOTABLES
- Hendricksen is the eighth Osprey all-time to make 200 career three-pointers
- It was UNF's first-ever game in Washington
- UNF has faced three teams ranked No. 2 during its DI era, having played at No. 2 Michigan State, No. 2 UCLA and now No. 2 Gonzaga
- Five Ospreys made their debuts on the court tonight, with Max Hrdlicka, Mark Flakus, Oscar Berry, Trent Coleman, Jah Nze earning their first-career minutes
- Oscar Berry poured in his first points at North Florida, making a pair of three-pointers.
- Coleman, Nze and Hrdlicka also tallied their first-career points
- UNF outscored Gonzaga, 16-9, in second chance points
- North Florida and Gonzaga met for the first time
- North Florida has also played West Coast Conference teams in Portland and Santa Clara
- Gonzaga advanced to the Sweet Sixteen a year ago as the top overall seed
UP NEXT
UNF stays in the Evergreen State to take on the Washington Huskies Friday, Nov. 11 at 11 p.m. EST.
