Sizzling Shooting, Stifling Defense Seals Men’s Basketball’s Win at UNA

Saturday, February 5

Florence, Ala.

4:30 p.m.

University of North Florida

North Alabama

Jose Placer rising up to shoot a jump shot

Jose Placer averaged a scorching 23.5 points per game during UNF's 2-0 road stint in Alabama.

Sizzling Shooting, Stifling Defense Seals Men’s Basketball’s Win at UNA

2/5/2022 8:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Ospreys Sweep Alabama Swing, Holding North Alabama to 27.8 Percent Shooting

FLORENCE, Ala. - For the second time in as many games during the Alabama road trip, North Florida men's basketball (7-17, 3-7 ASUN) applied the winning formula of sizzling shooting and stifling defense as the Ospreys took care of North Alabama (9-14, 2-8 ASUN), 71-58, Saturday, Feb. 5.

The Ospreys completed a 2-0 sweep of its road stint in Alabama, giving North Florida consecutive wins in ASUN play for the first time this season.

For the fourth game in a row, two Ospreys posted a 20-plus point night. Today it was the dynamic duo of Jarius Hicklen and Jose Placer who teamed up for 43 points on 9-for-17 from long range.

UNF shot 51 percent from the field, marking the first time UNF has shot over 50 percent in ASUN play this year. On the other side of the coin, UNF held UNA to only 27.8 percent shooting, the lowest mark for a UNF opponent since the Ospreys kept the Jacksonville Dolphins to 27.4 shooting Jan. 18, 2010.

The Lions shot 13-for-15 from the free throw line as UNF had an uncharacteristic night at the stripe, shooting just 47.8 percent. North Florida held UNA to 5-for-20 from three-point range, the second time in as many contests that UNF has kept its foes shooting less than 30 percent from deep.

UNF shot 27-for-58 from three-point range during the two-game road stint while holding foes to 20.5 percent. Jose Placer averaged 23.5 points per game and North Florida shot 49.5 percent as a team.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
1st Half

Just like UNF started off at Jacksonville State, Jose Placer made the first three three-pointers he took in the game, giving UNF an early lead … the Ospreys led 11-4 at the media timeout … UNF led 11-4 but UNA went on a 12-0 run to take its first advantage of the game and a 16-11 lead … Jarius Hicklen got on the board and broke UNA's run with a 6-0 run by himself, making consecutive three-pointers … things were tied up 21-21 at the under eight media timeout … Jadyn Parker posted a 6-0 run himself to give UNF a 27-22 lead at the 4:05 mark … UNF held UNA to a stretch of 1-for-15 shooting, helping give North Florida a 31-24 advantage … the Ospreys held UNA to 10-for-39 from the field, while shooting 48.1 percent … the Lions outrebounded UNF by 17 and had 16 offensive boards.

2nd Half

UNF forced two shot clock violations and Hicklen drilled a pair of three-pointers, giving UNF a 38-29 lead, the largest advantage of the game for either team … North Florida went on an 8-2 run to give the Ospreys an 11-point lead … UNA hit back-to-back three-pointers to cut into UNF's lead after the media timeout … UNF replied thanks to Hicklen's fifth and sixth three-pointer … after a Jonathan Aybar lay-in, UNF led 50-37, extending its largest lead … the Ospreys led by at least nine the rest of the way, shooting 54.5 percent in the second half while holding UNA to 30.3 percent.

BY THE NUMBERS
UNF

Jose Placer | 22 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Jarius Hicklen | 21 points, 4 rebounds, 6-for-10 3PT FGs
Dorian James | 7 rebounds, 6 points, 3 assists, 2 blocks
Jadyn Parker | 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal

UNA

Daniel Ortiz | 14 points
Isaac Chatman | 13 points, 11 rebounds
Will Soucie | 10 rebounds, 5 points, 2 steals

NOTABLES

This was the ninth meeting between these two teams.
Placer has reached double-digit points in five-straight games.
Placer has posted 13 double-digit scoring performances.
North Florida led for over 33 minutes.
UNA had 10 more bench points and 12 more second chance points than UNF.
The Lions had 25 offensive rebounds to just five for the Ospreys, although UNF shot over 23 percent better.
UNF had six blocked shots. Jonathan Aybar and Dorian James had two apiece.
It was UNF's fourth-consecutive game with at least 10 three-pointers made.
UNF has made double-digit treys in 12 of 24 games.
Hicklen has scored double-digit points in seven-straight games.
Hicklen went 6-for-10 from three-point range, tying his UNF career high for treys.
North Florida is 3-0 at North Alabama all-time.
The Ospreys are 7-2 against the Lions.
Parker finished with 12 points on 6-for-6 shooting, giving him his most points in a game in ASUN play this year.
It was UNF's first win this year in which it scored less than 80 points.
The Ospreys shot better from the floor than they did at the free throw line.
No other Division I opponent on UNF's schedule this year has been kept below 30.0 percent shooting.
UNF held UNA to 27.8 percent shooting, the lowest mark in ASUN play for a UNF opponent since the Ospreys kept JU to just 27.4 percent shooting Jan. 18, 2010 at Jacksonville.
Head Coach Matthew Driscoll is one game short of 200 wins for his UNF career.

COACH DRISCOLL'S COMMENTS

.@UNFBBALL shares his thoughts following tonight's road win at UNA, completing a 2-0 road trip in Alabama. pic.twitter.com/sC7YpBKQMz
— UNF Men's Basketball (@OspreyMBB) February 6, 2022