JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida women's basketball (4-9, 1-2 ASUN) almost pulled off the fourth-quarter comeback after posting a 16-2 run, but came out just short in its conference home opener against Lipscomb (9-6, 3-0 ASUN), 69-63, on Saturday afternoon.
The Ospreys were down by 17 points entering the fourth quarter and faced a deficit as big as 21 points before they brought it back to a one-possession game with under two minutes left. They had opportunities late to complete the comeback at home, but the scoring run wasn't enough in the end against the Bison.
Emma Broermann played one of the best games of her career with a season-high 22 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, while also matching her career-high in blocks with three total. It's only the second game as an Osprey with over 20 points and 10 rebounds dating back to her sophomore season against Edward Waters.
Lipscomb 69, UNF 63
RECORDS
North Florida | 4-9 (1-2 ASUN)
Lipscomb | 9-6 (3-0 ASUN)
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
First Half: Lyric Swann struck first for the Ospreys with a mid-range jumper to put them on the board...UNF continued the scoring with back-to-back buckets in the paint from Broermann...scores from
Kaila Rougier and L. Swann helped expand to a 10-5 run going into the first media timeout...Broermann teamed up with L. Swann to set a pick for the basket and help take a four-point lead through the first period...L. Swann continued her scoring run with a three-pointer to start the second quarter...the Bison went on a hot streak of 20 consecutive points before Rougier made a steal and was assisted by
Helena Rafnsdottir on the put-back basket...the Ospreys added one more point on the free throw line to take a 40-29 deficit into the half.
Second Half: Broermann kicked off the second half of play with a clean-up bucket off the miss from Rougier to bring it within single digits...
Elysa Wesolek joined in on the action with a jumper to add her first points of the afternoon...Wesolek returned again later in the third after drawing a foul on the layup to score and pick up one more...Rougier assisted on a pass to Wesolek for the three-pointer to beat the third-quarter buzzer...L. Swann wasted no time to start the fourth quarter with a score from downtown assisted by her sister,
Jaelyn Swann...momentum started to shift in the final period with the Ospreys going on an 16-2 run to bring it back to a one-possession game, which was led by Broermann and Rougier each dropping six points in that span...although they made the ferocious run to make it a three-point game, the Bison held on in the final minute and UNF was just short of a comeback in the 69-63 loss.
LEADERS BY THE NUMBERS
UNF
Emma Broermann | 22 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals
Lyric Swann | 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Kaila Rougier | 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Elysa Wesolek | 8 points, 8 rebounds
LIP
Blythe Pearson | 20 points, 6 rebounds
Bella Vinson | 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals
Jalyn Holcomb | 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
POST-GAME THOUGHTS
NOTES
- Five UNF players scored in the game, with Broermann, L. Swann and Rougier combining for 51 of the 63 total points.
- L. Swann played all 40 minutes for the fourth time in her collegiate career.
- Rougier and Wesolek surpassed their career-highs in playing time with 37 and 26 minutes respectively.
- Broermann recorded her sixth double-digit scoring game, as well as 16 or more points in back-to-back games.
- Was also her fourth-career game with more than 20 points and ninth-career game with over 10 rebounds.
- L. Swann continues being a dynamic scorer with double-digit points in 11 of 13 games this season
- It was also her sixth game on the year scoring 18 points or more, as it is her first against ASUN competition.
- UNF had the advantage in the paint, 38-24, and on second-chance points, 17-7.
- They also brought down more rebounds than Lipscomb with a 44-36 margin on the boards.
- Ospreys maintained third consecutive starting lineup in as many ASUN games.
UP NEXT
UNF continues their three-game home stretch with another conference bout against Liberty on Thursday, Jan. 12, at 11 a.m., in UNF Arena.
