Ospreys Open ASUN Play With Overtime Win Against Austin Peay

Saturday, December 31

Jacksonville, Fla.

2 p.m.

University of North Florida

6-7,1-0ASUN

Austin Peay

6-9,0-2ASUN

OT 1

Austin Peay

North Florida

Placer put up 17 points and surpassed 1,000 for his career as UNF won in OT vs. Austin Peay.

Photo by: Roberto Johnson

Ospreys Open ASUN Play With Overtime Win Against Austin Peay

12/31/2022 7:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Hicklen Hits Go-Ahead Three-Pointer to Help Push Game to OT, Five Score in Double Figures

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Thanks to five double-digit scoring performances, a clutch three-pointer from Jarius Hicklen and an overall resilient effort, UNF men's basketball outlasted Austin Peay, 90-85, for an overtime victory in the ASUN opener at the UNF Arena Saturday, Dec. 31. Jose Placer surpassed 1,000-career points in the win, while Carter Hendricksen sank eight of his nine free throws as he went for 15 points and nine rebounds.

The Ospreys (6-7, 1-0 ASUN) trailed by six at the break but outscored the Governors (6-9, 0-2 ASUN) in the second half and by five in overtime.

Down 72-71 with 12 seconds on the clock, Hicklen made a stepback three-pointer to give UNF the lead with seven ticks to go. APSU did get the game-tying bucket as time expired in regulation, but the Ospreys prevailed in overtime.

FINAL SCORE (OT)

AUSTIN PEAY | 85
NORTH FLORIDA | 90

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
1st Half

UNF and Austin Peay started off quickly as they both traded their own scoring runs … the Governors created an 18-11 lead at the first media timeout thanks to 8-for-10 shooting … Dorian James scored all four of UNF's points between the next two media timeouts … the Ospreys posted a 9-3 run to get within a pair of points, getting a lift from consecutive layups from Jose Placer … a Jonathan Aybar alley-oop off a pass from Hendricksen evened the game, 30-30, but Austin Peay used an 8-0 run to take a 38-30 lead … Jadyn Parker made a lay-up to cut the deficit to six going into the break … Austin Peay shot 54.8 percent from the field, while UNF tallied a 46.7 mark from the floor.

2nd Half

Despite Austin Peay expanding its lead to as much as 10 before the first media timeout of the second frame, UNF stayed tough … a 5-0 run got the Ospreys within five points … trailing 48-41, UNF went on a 11-2 run to take its first lead of the half at 52-50, receiving the advantage thanks to a go-ahead three-pointer from Hicklen at the 11:30 mark … neither team had greater than a four-point advantage until Austin Peay took a six-point lead on a pair of free throws with four minutes and five seconds left in the second half … North Florida's defense put the clamps on over the next few possessions as UNF crept back within one at 70-69 … Hendricksen drew a foul and made both free throws to put the Ospreys up 71-70 … APSU worked the ball down low to center Elijah Everett-Hutchins as he drew a foul and hit two free throws with 12 seconds on the clock … Hicklen had ice in his veins to hit a stepback three-pointer with seven seconds on the clock … APSU's Cam Copeland made the game-tying bucket as time expired, sending the game to OT.

5.4 2nd | UNF 74, APSU 72

JARIUS. HICKLEN. @jhoop_5

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— UNF Men's Basketball (@OspreyMBB) December 31, 2022

Overtime

Both teams traded three-pointers to start the overtime session … Hicklen answered with another, putting the Ospreys up three, a lead they would never surrender as UNF hit free throws late and posted enough stops late.

1:00 OT | UNF 86, APSU 83@c_hendricksen3 with the tip-in for two!

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?? https://t.co/fGUySdA4P8 #BirdsofTrey pic.twitter.com/ga7RHXWFnq
— UNF Men's Basketball (@OspreyMBB) December 31, 2022

BY THE NUMBERS

AUSTIN PEAY

Sean Durugordon | 27 points, 10 rebounds
Cameron Copeland | 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals
Elijah Hutchins-Everett | 13 points, 3 rebounds

NORTH FLORIDA

Jarius Hicklen | 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
Jose Placer | 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Carter Hendricksen | 15 points, 9 rebounds

NOTABLES

UNF is 10-4 in ASUN openers under head coach Matthew Driscoll
The Ospreys are 12-2 in ASUN home openers under head coach Matthew Driscoll
Five Ospreys tallied double-digit scoring nights
UNF has scored at least 80 points in five of its six wins this season
North Florida had the lead for just under seven minutes
There were six lead changes and seven tie scores
10 points was the largest lead in the game
UNF had the edge in four miscellaneous stat categories, winning the points in the paint, second chance, fast break and bench points battle
North Florida is 8-3 in overtime games under head Coach Matthew Driscoll
UNF has won seven straight home games and is undefeated at home this season
North Florida is 3-2 against Austin Peay all-time and 3-0 in home games against APSU
This was the first meeting between UNF and APSU as ASUN foes
UNF defeated APSU at home last season, winning 91-84 behind 35 points from Jose Placer
Parker has posted five games with at least four blocks