JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - In a series between two teams in which the host is undefeated, that trend remained true Tuesday, Feb. 15 when North Florida men's basketball (9-18, 5-8 ASUN) got 31 points from a sizzling hot
Jarius Hicklen, 16 from
Jordan Preaster and nearly a triple-double from
Dorian James in a 72-69 win against ASUN East Division frontrunner Liberty (18-9, 9-3 ASUN).
In a 10-game series, UNF is now 3-0 against Liberty at the UNF Arena. The Ospreys have defeated the current first place team in both the ASUN East Division and ASUN West Division after going to Jacksonville State earlier this season and handing an 8-0 Jacksonville State team its first loss in conference play.
North Florida is 4-1 over its last five games dating back to that Jacksonville State win Feb. 3. UNF erased an 11-point second half deficit Tuesday night, holding Liberty to 31.3 percent shooting in the second half while the Ospreys posted a remarkable clip of 56.5 percent from the floor. Hicklen was nearly unstoppable in the second session, scoring 22 in the second alone while going a remarkable 8-for-16 from beyond the arc for the game.
Both Hicklen and Preaster set personal single-game highs for points.
Dorian James' contributions could not be lost on the game as he eyed a triple-double with nine rebounds, eight points and eight assists. To boot, James didn't make a single turnover.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
1st Half
- The game went as advertised through the first half, with the two teams combining to take 31 three-pointers … Darius McGhee got off to a blazing hot start, scoring 14 points before the third media timeout, although it was Jordan Preaster and Jarius Hicklen who combined for 18 points to counter the Flames … Liberty led by as many as eight points, but UNF rattled off a 7-0 scoring run to take its first lead of the game with 8:57 to go in the half … there were 10 lead changes and five tie scores … the Flames closed the half on a 5-0 run to take a 38-33 advantage into the break … Liberty outscored UNF, 22-8, in the paint … UNF went 7-for-8 from the line while Liberty was just 1-for-4.
2nd Half
- Liberty came out of the half and took a 48-37 lead, it's largest advantage of the game and the largest lead for either team … down 10 at 50-40, Jordan Preaster made an important three-pointer to break up Liberty's scoring … Preaster made a free throw and Hicklen followed with another to cut the deficit to just 50-47 with 12:48 to go … Jadyn Parker made a pair of free throws to give UNF a 56-55 lead, its first advantage of the second half … UNF kept raining the three-pointers to push the Ospreys to an eight-point lead with 4:39 to go, the largest lead for UNF all game … up 72-66 with one minute and 38 seconds to go, McGhee was fouled shooting a three-pointer and made all three free throws to get within three … UNF's defense put on the clamps and held Liberty 0-for-3 from deep the rest of the way.
BY THE NUMBERS
LIBERTY
- Darius McGhee | 28 points, 7-for-15 3PT FGs
- Kyle Rode | 9 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists
- Shiloh Robinson | 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals
UNF
NOTABLES
- This was the 10th meeting between these two teams.
- Seven of UNF's 13 ASUN games have come down to one possession.
- UNF improves to 3-0 at home against the Flames.
- North Florida snapped a four-game losing streak to the Flames.
- The Ospreys outscored Liberty, 23-12, off the bench.
- Hicklen has scored in double figures in 10-consecutive games.
- Preaster tallied a career-high 16 points.
- Hicklen set his UNF career high with 31 points, while tying his career-high set at Oklahoma Baptist.
- Hicklen's eight three-pointers is tied for third most in UNF history for a single game. It tied Emmanuel Adedoyin's eight against Webber earlier this season.
- There were 13 lead changes and six tie scores.
- James' eight assists is a career high and the most for an Osprey this year.
COACH DRISCOLL'S COMMENTS
NEXT UP
UNF plays its regular season home finale Saturday, Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. against FGCU.
