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.
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.
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
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
Postgame Comments
UP NEXT
UNF makes the short trip to Stetson to continue a busy stretch Monday, Jan. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
