Game 2 Preview: First Road Test of the Season

Thursday, November 9

Charleston, S.C.

7 p.m.

University of North Florida

Charleston Southern

Jaylen Smith and Coach Driscoll on the sideline at basketball game

Photo by: Todd Drexler

11/8/2023 6:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes Live Stats ESPN+

Ospreys Go to Charleston Southern

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida men's basketball makes a bus drive two states over to take on Charleston Southern Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Palmetto State. The game marks the first of two-straight games in South Carolina as the Ospreys play their first road game of the season.

GAME DETAILS

Date: Thursday, Nov. 9
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Charleston Southern (Charleston, S.C.)
Opponent:
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com

All-Time Series: Series tied, 2-2

UNF and Charleston Southern have split the four-game head-to-head series
Both teams have split a pair of games at their respective home courts
The Ospreys have won two-straight against Charleston Southern
UNF swept a home-and-home against the Buccaneers in 2018

An Osprey Win Would....

Give UNF a 2-0 start for the first time since 2015
Give UNF a 3-2 lead in the head-to-head series
Give UNF a road-opening win

PROJECTED UNF STARTING FIVE
G - Oscar Berry
G - Chaz Lanier
G - Ametri Moss
F - Dorian James
F - Nate Lliteras

COACH DRISCOLL ON TOMORROW'S GAME
"Our first road test of the young season comes with a quick turnaround of traveling, requiring a level of focus and maturity as we embrace the task at hand. Being able to have a game under our belt with this reloaded roster really presents an enormous upside for us in both phases of the game for all 40 minutes tomorrow. Now, the challenge is to elevate our play in those areas in a very hostile but intimate setting that is the Charleston Southern Buc Dome. The Buccaneers also won their home opener and showcased, just like many schools, the impact of transfers mixed with returners, making for an exciting early season mid-major matchup." -- Head Coach Matthew Driscoll

SCOUTING CHARLESTON SOUTHERN

Charleston Southern is coming off a season-opening win against Toccoa Falls, 94-59
The Buccaneers were paced by 22 points from South Florida transfer DJ Patrick
The Bucs were tabbed to finish eighth in the Big South Conference
Taje' Kelly was tabbed to the preseason all-league team.
Charleston Southern was picked ahead of Presbyterian in the preseason poll, who was tabbed to finish last.
Charleston Southern is coming off a 10-21 season a year ago that saw the Bucs finish 5-13 in league play
Charleston Southern is coached by long-time head coach Barclay Radebaugh, who has spent two decades in Charleston.

NORTH FLORIDA NOTES

HOME TO START THE SEASON

For the first time in over a decade, North Florida men's basketball played the season opener at home.
The last time North Florida began the year at The Nest was Nov. 10, 2012 against Edward Waters.
UNF dominated, hitting 13 three-pointers while leading by as much as 40 in a 92-55 win against Coastal Georgia

SHARE THE ROCK

Six different Ospreys posted double-digit scoring games in the season-opening win
Graduate transfer Jake van der Heijden paced all scorers with 18 points, doing so in only 12 minutes
Chaz Lanier toyed with a double-double, posting 10 points and nine boards while adding five assists
Five Ospreys made their UNF debuts in the win, including van der Heijden, Nate Lliteras, Ametri Moss, Jasai Miles and Jaylen Smith

16 HOME GAMES

North Florida's 16-game home slate is good for the most home games in UNF's Division I era.
North Florida plays eight non-conference home games and eight Atlantic Sun games at home. The Ospreys also host the First Coast Classic Nov. 16-18.

THE 2023-24 SCHEDULE - NOTES

31 games, 16 at home
Games in two time zones (EST, CST)
Home and season opener Nov. 6 vs. Coastal Georgia
Road opener at Charleston Southern Nov. 9
First Coast Classic Multi-team event (MTE) Nov. 16-18 at the UNF Arena
Four first time foes (Presbyterian, Northwestern State, Maine, Georgia)
Takes on teams from 12 different leagues
First time facing a Big Ten team since going to Iowa Nov. 21, 2019
Going to Queens for the first time in program history
Senior Night set for the lone regular season game in March, March 1 vs. Stetson
Four-game home stand between Dec. 2 and Dec. 16
UNF plays four games against 2023 NCAA Tourney Team

ROSTER NOTES

North Florida's 2023-24 roster features 13 Ospreys, with seven letterwinners returning.
The Ospreys' roster also includes six newcomers, with three being true freshmen and three being transfers.
All three transfers were significant contributors for their previous teams. Nate Lliteras comes to UNF as a junior athletically, having helped Longwood to the NCAA Tournament with a Big South Championship title. Lliteras logged 85 games for the Lancers, having tallied 90 three-pointers and 11 double-digit scoring performances.
Jake van der Heijden comes to the Ospreys as a graduate transfer after playing in 95 games at Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pa. The rangy lefty logged 1,574 minutes and over 300 points and 200 rebounds.
Shifty and agile lefty point guard Ametri Moss comes to the Ospreys after two seasons of averaging double-digit points at South Florida State College.
The UNF freshman features Mason Lee, Jaylen Smith and Jasai Miles. Lee arrives from just down the road at Providence HS, whileSmith is a highly touted guard out of Ocoee, Fla. Miles is a product of Miami, bringing 6-6 size to UNF.
Dorian James, Chaz Lanier and Oscar Berry comprise the most amount of experience among UNF returners. James has logged 110 games played in the Navy and Gray, while Berry was an all-freshman pick at FDU in 2021-22 and Lanier touting 72 games played in three seasons.
Returners Brandon Rasmussen, Max Hrdlicka, Jah Nze and Trent Coleman round out the roster, all bringing in at least one letter of experience in the Navy and Gray