JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Chaz Lanier scored UNF's first 14 points,
Ametri Moss took over late and multiple Ospreys made key glue plays as North Florida (4-2) led for over 37 minutes in a 67-58 First Coast Classic finale win against Maine (3-3) Saturday, Nov. 18.
There were only two lead changes and two tie scores, with Maine's largest lead sitting at just one as the Ospreys controlled the tempo in the weekend finale. Lanier finished with a game-high 21 points, Moss added 14 and
Dorian James chipped in with 13.
FINAL SCORE
MAINE | 58
UNF | 67
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
1st Half
- Lanier was the story of the first half as he scored the first 14 UNF points, helping the Ospreys to a big early lead … during that run he hit three-straight three-pointers and threw down a dunk in the paint … Maine got busy in the paint, cutting its deficit to just two points, but Jake van der Heijden got in on the scoring with a kickout three-pointer … UNF had a two-point lead at the under-12 media timeout, but Maine took its first and only lead with 10:43 to go … UNF rattled off a 6-0 run thanks to tough buckets from Jasai Miles and Ametri Moss … Jah Nze hit a three-pointer to extend UNF's lead to 10, a margin it held going into the break.
2nd Half
- Maine cut UNF's lead to six, but Lanier hit a deep three-pointer to push the lead back to nine … Moss got the cup to bring that lead back to 11 at the first media timeout … Maine got some stops to go on a 6-0 run through the next media timeout as UNF held a 49-44 lead at the 11:42 mark … Oscar Berry found Miles for a bucket in the paint to break a scoring drought and James hit a three from the top of the key to bring the lead back to four … Maine evened things up at 54-54 with 7:38 to go, but Moss brought the house down with a dunk and a floater for consecutive buckets … the lead grew back to five when Nate Lliteras hit nearly a 30-foot three-pointer at the 4:50 mark … up 61-58, Miles swatted a shot and got the defensive board on a big stop … van der Heijden found James cutting to the hoop for a two-handed flush and a 63-58 lead … UNF was stingy on defense and converted from the line to close things out.
COACH DRISCOLL'S COMMENTS
BY THE NUMBERS
MAINE
- Kellen Tynes | 20 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds
- Adam Cisse | 10 points, 6 rebounds
NORTH FLORIDA
NOTABLES
- Lanier scored the first 14 UNF points
- This was the first-ever meeting between the two teams
- The game completed UNF's First Coast Classic, the program's first time hosting and playing in its own multi-team event
- Lanier broke the 20-point marker for the second time this season
- UNF finished the First Coast Classic 2-1
- UNF was perfect from the line
- The Ospreys held Maine 2-for-16 from the line
- There were only 12 attempted free throws in the game
- UNF outrebounded the Black Bears by 12
- The win comes on the 14-year anniversary of head coach Matthew Driscoll's first-ever win at UNF
UP NEXT
UNF hits the road to take on LSU Friday, Nov. 24 in its first Power Five test of the regular season.
