KENNESAW, Ga. - North Florida men's basketball held an eight-point lead at the intermission, but a high octane Kennesaw State team managed to take the lead in the second half as the Ospreys (7-11, 2-4 ASUN) split the season series with the Owls (13-6, 5-1 ASUN) following an 86-72 loss at KSU Saturday, Jan. 14.
Carter Hendricksen tallied his second 20-point performance in as many games,
Jose Placer went for 13 points and
Jonathan Aybar dished out a career-best four assists in an efficient night. But, Kennesaw State was catalyzed by slippery guard Terrell Burden and company to pull ahead late.
Saturday's game concludes a challenging three-game road trip as the Ospreys return to the UNF Arena for a two-game home stand beginning Thursday night with Queens.
FINAL SCORE
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
1st Half
- Defenses dominated early as both offenses worked to get going … Placer posted a three-pointer at the 16:57 mark, getting UNF on the board for the first time as the game was 5-3 KSU at the first media timeout … UNF started to heat up from outside over the next four minutes as Jarius Hicklen sunk a three-pointer and Placer added two more to give the Ospreys a 14-13 advantage at the under-12 media timeout … after a tough floater went through from Placer, Oscar Berry got in on the action with two three-pointers, keeping UNF in front, 24-21 with under eight minutes to go … Aybar and Dorian James provided the offense over the next four minutes, with the duo combining for six points down low … North Florida closed the half on a 14-7 run, taking a 40-32 lead into the break.
2nd Half
- After North Florida drained eight three-pointers on 17 attempts in the first half, the Ospreys hit two in the second session as KSU slowly worked itself back into the game … Hendricksen hit one of those two second half three-pointers to extend UNF's lead to 43-34, its largest of the game … Kennesaw State got a much needed three-pointer just seconds later, fueling a 9-0 run as the Owls took a 47-45 lead at the first media timeout … Hicklen tied the game with two free throws, but KSU replied again with a 10-4 run to go on and take the lead for good.
BY THE NUMBERS
NORTH FLORIDA
KSU
- Brandon Stroud | 18 points, 5 rebounds
- Terrell Burden | 13 points, 8 assists, 2 steals
- Chris Youngblood | 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
NOTABLES
- UNF and Kennesaw State have split the last four games against one another. This year's season series was the opposite of what was seen last year as the visiting team won each of the two games
- Hendricksen and Placer posted consecutive identical point totals in the last two games, with Hendricksen notching 20 Thursday and Saturday. Placer reached 13 in each game
- North Florida is 30-22 all-time against Kennesaw State
- UNF held KSU without a free throw in the first half of the last meeting Jan. 5, while the Ospreys had the same occur today
- The Ospreys had the lead for 15 minutes, while Kennesaw State held it for just over 21
- UNF has reached double-digit three-pointers nine times this season
- It was Hendricksen's third 20-point performance this year and 16th of his career
- Hendricksen has paced or tied for the team lead in rebounds 11 times this year after Saturday's game
- Berry, Placer and Hendricksen all had three treys
- Aybar had a career-best four assists
Postgame Comments
UP NEXT
UNF returns home to host Queens Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.
