JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida men's basketball continues a busy stretch of non-conference games with the final road non-conference regular season test Thursday, Dec. 22 at Bethune-Cookman. Tomorrow's game completes a season home-and-home with the Wildcats after UNF dispatched B-CU, 88-48, Dec. 10.

GAME DETAILS

• Date: Thursday, Dec. 22
• Time: 2 p.m.
• Location: Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Opponent: Bethune-Cooman
• Watch: CatEye Network (YouTube Live)
• Live Stats: bcuathletics.com/sidearmstats/mbball/

 
All-Time Series: UNF leads the all-time series, 5-0

An Osprey Win Thursday Would....

• Make UNF 6-0 against Bethune-Cookman all-time
• Give the Ospreys consecutive wins and their first road victory of the year
• Make UNF 3-0 at Bethune-Cookman

PROJECTED UNF STARTING FIVE
G - Oscar Berry (3.6 PPG | 2.2 RPG | 0.7 APG)
G - Jarius Hicklen (14.3 PPG | 3.7 RPG | 3.5 APG)
G - Jose Placer (11.3 PPG | 2.0 RPG | 2.7 APG)
F - Carter Hendricksen (14.1 PPG | 6.1 RPG | 1.4 APG)
F - Jadyn Parker (6.9 PPG | 5.3 RPG | 1.3 BPG)

LAST TIME OUT
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -  The Ospreys dished out 25 assists and shot over 50 percent from beyond the arc as North Florida men's basketball stayed undefeated at home on the year with a 105-66 win against the Davis & Elkins Senators Monday, Dec. 19.

COACH DRISCOLL ON TOMORROW'S GAME
"We are very excited to play Bethune-Cookman for the second time this season. Tomorrow's game gives our team a chance to experience what will transpire in ASUN play as we take on the same team on the road and at home. Bethune-Cookman has really strong guard play, exceptional shooting from beyond the three-point line and interior size that can create a challenge. We need to meet those qualities tomorrow with focused physical aggression." -- Head Coach Matthew Driscoll
 

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NORTH FLORIDA NOTES

HEATING UP
UNF has found its stroke from beyond the arc as of late. Monday night's win against Davis & Elkins saw North Florida drain a season-best 16 three-pointers en route to a 105-point output. UNF currently ranks 32nd in the country for three-pointers made per game. Jarius Hicklen has made 3.27 treys per game, the 18th most in the country.

FIND YOUR TEAMMATES
The Ospreys also set a season high for assists in the 39-point win against Davis & Elkins this past Monday. UNF dished out 25 dimes, tied for the seventh-most helpers in a single game in North Florida single game history.

CLEANING UP AGAINST THE 'CATS
North Florida aims to make it six-straight wins against Bethune-Cookman in the series' history. North Florida claimed an 88-48 win against the Wildcats Dec. 10, with North Florida holding B-CU to only 28.1 percent shooting from the floor. The last time these two teams met in Daytona Beach was back in 2014. Prior to Dec. 10, all of the previous four games had been decided by seven points or less.

BUSY STRETCH
UNF is playing its third game since Saturday, Dec. 17 following an off week due to final exams. North Florida has played at Pitt, at home against Davis & Elkins and now at Bethune-Cookman. The Ospreys have one more non-conference game remaining Dec. 29 against Atlantis before hosting Austin Peay in the ASUN opener Dec. 31.
 

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SCOUTING BETHUNE-COOKMAN

• Bethune-Cookman is 4-7 on the year and 0-0 in league play as it looks on at its second year in the SWAC
• The Wildcats' head coach, Reggie Theus, is in his second season at B-CU but brings in decades of experience coaching at the collegiate level and playing in the NBA. A former collegiate basketball player at UNLV, Theus went on to have a 13-year NBA career before having coaching stops at Cal State Northridge and New Mexico State
• B-CU is undefeated at home on the year. 
• The Wildcats have been tested against teams such as Iowa and Indiana. They'll have one more Big Ten test at Illinois Dec. 29. 
• The Wildcats are coming off a pair of road losses in San Antonio after losses to Incarnate Word and UTSA last weekend.
• Marcus Garrett and Zion Harmon are just percentage points away from each other for the team lead in scoring average. Both are averaging over 12 points per game, while Garrett is also tied for the team lead in rebounds per game at 5.1.
• Garrett was tabbed the SWAC Impact Player of the Week Dec. 20.
• B-CU is averaging 66 points per game while surrendering 75.8.
• Harmon is a strong distributor and tough defender, tallying 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game. The guard out of Maryland was a highly touted high school recruit, having transferred in from Western Kentucky.

 

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OTHER NOTES

FROM THE JUMP
UNF has won the tip-off in nine of 10 games this season. The Ospreys have done so 231 times in head coach Matthew Driscoll's career, bringing the Ospreys to a 118-113 mark in such games. North Florida has scored in its first possession on five of nine occasions this year.

LEADING LATE
UNF has fared very well under head coach Matthew Driscoll when possessing a lead with under five minutes to go in the game. Under Driscoll, North Florida is 180-16 when leading with five minutes to go on the clock.

1,000 CLUB 
Not only did Jarius Hicklen and Jose Placer reach 100 three-pointers for their UNF career this season, but they're both primed to join the 1,000-point club. Hicklen did so Nov. 29, while Jose Placer is 19 points from reaching 1,000 for his career. Carter Hendricksen broke the top 10 list in career points earlier this season. He reached 1,000-career points at FGCU last January.

TELL-TALE STATS
UNF has established a few tell-tale stats that have given a hint of a positive outcome for the Ospreys during head coach Matthew Driscoll's tenure. UNF is 165-37 when leading at the half, 180-16 when leading with five minutes left, 86-8 when holding foes under 40 percent from the floor and 174-34 when shooting better than its opponent.

WON'T BACK DOWN
Jarius Hicklen hasn't backed down against some of the nation's best opponents on the season. Hicklen has averaged 15.7 points per game against the likes of Gonzaga, Washington, Duquesne, Kentucky, Houston and Pitt.

FAMILIAR NAME IN THE RECORD BOOKS
Carter Hendricksen continues to climb the UNF career record books this season. In the process, Hendricksen recently surpassed former teammate Ivan Gandia-Rosa in career points, moving into ninth all-time. Hendricksen has 1,295 points and also ranks sixth in three-pointers made.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
UNF ranks second in the nation for strength of schedule per ESPN. The Ospreys have already played opponents such as No. 2 Gonzaga, Washington, Duquesne, No. 15 Kentucky, High Point, No. 1 Houston and Pittsburgh.

DOWN TO THE WIRE
UNF has played its fair share of tight contests this season, with four games being within three points with five minutes remaining. North Florida has seen such contests at Washington, Duquesne, High Point and against South Carolina State.

PRESEASON ALL-ASUN 
Jose Placer and Carter Hendricksen were both tabbed to the All-ASUN Preseason team. 
UNF joined Liberty as the only two teams in the ASUN Conference to have two honorees on the preseason squad.

RETURNING MINUTES AND POINTS

• After having one of the youngest teams in the nation last year, North Florida returns as a veteran team. 
• The Ospreys bring back 81 percent of their scoring and 74 percent of minutes played from last season. 
• All told, UNF has nine returners and four newcomers, with five of the nine returners being regular starters last season.

AWARDS AND HONORS IN 2021-22

•  Jose Placer and Carter Hendricksen both took home ASUN All-Academic honors to close the 2022 season. For Hendricksen, it was his third-career honor. 
• Hendricksen also joined former teammate, Wajid Aminu, as a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree a year ago. Despite battling injury during the 2021-22 season, Hendricksen still managed to average 12.2 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per contest, bringing him past 1,000-career points and 500-career rebounds.
• Shooting guard Jarius Hicklen put the ASUN on notice last year, averaging 12 points per game over 30 games and 15 starts. Initially not starting at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, Hicklen's consistency, combined with some injuries on the UNF roster, brought him into a starting role that he did not let go of. The Dallas, Texas native was named ASUN Newcomer of the Week and ASUN Player of the Week one time apiece last year. He started his collegiate career with two seasons of basketball at Division II Oklahoma Baptist before transferring to North Florida. 

LOOKING AT THE 2022-23 SEASON

• UNF is set to play 31 games including 14 at home. The Ospreys play a 13-game non-conference ledger, with 18 league games lined up as the ASUN expanded to 14 teams.
• The Ospreys will play six first-time opponents in Gonzaga, Washington, South Carolina State, Houston, Duquesne and Davis & Elkins. 
• UNF also has Pittsburgh and Kentucky on the schedule for this year, marking the second-straight year UNF has taken on Kentucky.

CSI COMPANIES COURT

• North Florida men's basketball practiced away from its home court for all of the summer and much of the preseason as the UNF Arena was undergoing renovations that included the construction of the new CSI Companies Court. UNF didn't practice in its home gym until Oct. 24 and instead practiced at the UNF Fieldhouse adjacent to the gym, or at the Florida State College of Jacksonville (community college) across the street from campus. 
• The CSI Companies Court features a gray and navy look, with the state of Florida and UNF banner logo donning the center of the floor. UNF's location in Jacksonville is emphasized with a star located on the floor, while Osprey talons mark the sidelines. 
• The UNF Arena was also renovated with brand new lighting and sound system, as well as other aesthetic touch ups. The Bank of England Hospitality Suite is also nearing completion, providing a premier experience for donors.

NOTABLE

• Head coach Matthew Driscoll picked up his 200th-career win last year. He is the winningest coach in program history. 
• UNF had arguably the best blocking trio in the league last year, with three student-athletes averaging at least 0.9 blocks/game. Jadyn Parker led the way with 1.6, Dorian James swatted 1.1 per game and Jonathan Aybar blocked 0.9 shots per contest. Parker set the UNF single game blocks record with nine last season at Stetson.
• No stranger to tough schedules, UNF opened the year last year with a stretch of games against Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Grand Canyon, Arizona State and UCLA before playing a home game. The Ospreys played one home game before going back on the road to take on Kentucky.