Women’s Basketball’s Early Lead Slips Away at Kennesaw State

Saturday, February 12

Kennesaw, Ga.

2 p.m.

University of North Florida

11-13,4-8ASUN

Kennesaw State

9-13,5-6ASUN

North Florida

Kennesaw St.

Knights dished out a game-high eight assists at KSU.

Photo by: Devin Grimes

Women’s Basketball’s Early Lead Slips Away at Kennesaw State

2/12/2022 4:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Jazz Bond Scores 19 and Ally Knights Tallies Eight Assists in Loss

KENNESAW, Ga. - Despite a dominant first half, North Florida women's basketball (11-13, 4-8 ASUN) came up short down the stretch in a 63-57 loss to host Kennesaw State (9-13, 5-6 ASUN) Saturday, Feb. 12. Jazz Bond posted a game-high 19 points and Ally Knights led all players with eight assists.

North Florida held KSU to only 20.7 shooting in the first half while notching a 40.6 clip in the first half to take a 33-19 lead at the break. KSU took its first lead of the game in the fourth frame and held the Ospreys to 23.1 percent shooting in that final session to make the comeback.

KSU 63, UNF 57

Beyond the Box Score

First Quarter: UNF got off to a 4-0 start, but the first five minutes were a defensive struggle as the score remained past the six-minute mark … Rhetta Moore nailed her 50th three-pointer of the year after breaking the press, putting UNF up 12-4 … just minutes later she put UNF up, 15-4, with another three-pointer … Moore finished the frame with six points and five boards as UNF led, 17-4.
Second Quarter: The Ospreys crashed the offensive boards, continued to play strong defense and got contributions from a variety of scorers in the second quarter … Tatiana Thompson hit a three-pointer, giving UNF a 29-16 lead at the 1:52 mark … the Ospreys led by 14 at the break … the Ospreys shot 40.6 percent from the floor, while holding KSU to just 20.7 shooting.
Third Quarter: KSU got within double-digits for the first time since the first quarter, cutting UNF's lead to 42-35 after the media timeout … a 7-0 run allowed the Owls to get within five at the 3:14 mark … Jazz Bond made an important bucket off an offensive rebound, stemming KSU's run … Jaida Bond and Amani Johnson traded three-pointers, getting UNF to up seven after KSU got within four …the Owls outscored UNF 25-14 in the third, cutting UNF's lead to three at the end of three.
Fourth Quarter: KSU got within one right out of the break and eventually tied it 48-48 on a pair of free throws … Jazz Bond responded with a three-pointer but Amani Johnson hit her own, tying the game 51-51 … Jazz went on a 5-0 run to get UNF ahead again … KSU took a 55-53 lead and its first lead of the game at the fourth quarter media timeout … the Owls went on a 6-0 run to take a 61-55 lead with just over two minutes left … Jazz Bond hit a big shot at the 1:15 mark, cutting the deficit to four … the Owls were able to hold UNF to 23.1 percent shooting in the fourth and close out the comeback.

Leaders By the Numbers
UNF

Jazz Bond | 19 points, 3 blocks
Tatiana Thompson | 9 points
Rhetta Moore | 7 points, 7 rebounds
Ally Knights | 5 points, 8 assists

KSU

Amani Johnson | 18 points, 3 rebounds
Jah'Che Whitfield | 9 points, 8 rebounds
Bre-Lyn Snipes | 11 points

Notes

Summah Evans made her fourth start of the season and second consecutive start.
Moore reached 50 three-pointers for the season.
UNF held KSU to just four points in the first quarter, the fewest points UNF has allowed in a quarter all year.
The Ospreys and Owls have played 52 times.
North Florida is back to .500 for the first time since Feb. 3.
Knights tallied eight assists, her most in ASUN play this year.
The Ospreys were held to 2-for-12 from beyond the arc.

Coach Gibbs' Comments
"This was definitely a tale of two halves. I thought we came out with the right mentality, but just didn't sustain it for 40 minutes. We had a chance to push ahead coming out of halftime, but we allowed them to get into an offensive rhythm in the third quarter and we didn't do a good job responding the way we needed to." -- Head Coach Darrick Gibbs

Up Next
North Florida returns home to host Liberty Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.