JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Despite being short-handed with seven players available, North Florida women's basketball (5-9, 2-2 ASUN) found the production needed to pull off the 10-point win against Liberty (8-7, 2-2 ASUN), 68-58, on Thursday afternoon.
Elysa Wesolek and
Maddie Millar were the spark that ignited UNF against the Flames, as they each posted career-high point totals and combined for 10 three-pointers on the day.
Jaelyn Swann added on three more made shots from deep to be the third UNF player with double-digit points.
With the win against Liberty, the Ospreys earned their first conference home win of the season. They also turn in their third home win overall and their first win at home this season against a D-I opponent.
UNF 68, Liberty 58
RECORDS
North Florida | 5-9 (2-2 ASUN)
Liberty | 8-7 (2-2 ASUN)
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
First Half: UNF started the game with a dominant first quarter scoring run of 11-2 that included back-to-back buckets from
Kaila Rougier...
Maddie Millar and
Elysa Wesolek each made threes early in the first to extend it to a 15-7 lead...
Jaelyn Swann started the second period with a quick bucket from deep that hit nothing but net...Liberty posted a 12-3 scoring run, but
Helena Rafnsdottir stopped the bleeding with a layup in the paint...Wesolek made another three just before the break to end a defensive first half only down two points.
Second Half: The defense stayed strong coming out of the locker room, as their was only two points scored in the first three and a half minutes of the second half...after going down seven points, the Ospreys pulled off three straight makes from long range to take the two-point lead back...another three from Millar and a score from
Sarah Taub punctuated the end of a strong third period...much like the second quarter, J. Swann sprayed one from deep to start the fourth...Millar and Wesolek followed up with three-pointers of their own to keep a four-point margin over the Flames...a 9-3 run highlighted by seven points scored from J. Swann helped UNF go up by eight with just over three minutes left...Millar hit a dagger three in transition to go up double-digits and made free throws down the stretch secured the Ospreys' first home conference win of the year.
LEADERS BY THE NUMBERS
UNF
LIB
- Mya Berkman | 13 points, 7 rebounds
- Jordan Bailey | 11 points, 2 rebounds
- Dee Brown | 7 points, 9 rebounds
- Kennedi Williams | 6 points, 6 assists, 2 steals
POST-GAME THOUGHTS
NOTES
- Wesolek set her career-high in points once again with a 20-point performance against the Flames.
- She has been averaging 13.5 points per game since being inserted in the starting lineup in the ASUN opener against Stetson.
- Millar made noise in her return with 19 points in her first game played since Dec. 22.
- She also made a career-high five three-pointers, which has only her second collegiate game with multiple makes from downtown.
- J. Swann notched her fourth double-digit scoring game with 13 points, as she went 3-for-6 from three.
- Rougier had yet another all-around game with 7 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.
- This was first game since the season-opener for Rougier with at least seven total in each of those stat categories.
- UNF is now 5-1 against Liberty at home, as it was their first win against them since Feb. 7, 2021.
- The Ospreys were on fire from deep with a season-high 13 three-pointers made from the team.
- Most points scored in the fourth quarter against a conference opponent since Eastern Kentucky on Jan. 22, 2022.
- Ospreys scored more points in the fourth quarter than what either team scored in the entire first half.
- UNF outscored Liberty from the bench, 32-16, as well as had the margin on second-chance points, 10-6.
- They also matched their highest three-point percentage on the year going 50% from beyond the arc.
- Starting lineup included two true freshmen for the first time since playing Jacksonville on Jan 17, 2021.
- This was the seventh unique starting lineup of the season without Lyric Swann missing her first game.
UP NEXT
UNF will be back for their third consecutive home game on Saturday afternoon when they face off against Queens for the second time this season on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 2 p.m., in UNF Arena.
