JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida men's basketball returns from back-to-back guarantee games to start a four-game home stand against High Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 2 p.m., in UNF Arena.

The Ospreys gave both LSU and Iowa tough games late in the second half, but fell just short in both upset attempts. After cutting a deficit from 30 points to seven against the Tigers and leading against Iowa well into the second half a few days later, UNF will be ready to get back on its feet to take on the Panthers in their return home for the first time since hosting the First Coast Classic from Nov. 16-18.

Follow along @OspreyMBB on X and @ospreysmbb on Instagram from in-game updates. A live stream on ESPN+ will also be available, as well as live stats on sidearmstats.com

GAME DETAILS

Date: Saturday, Dec. 2
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: UNF Arena
Opponent: High Point

All-Time Series

• High Point leads, 2-1, in the all-time series.
• Panthers have won the past two meetings.
• The home team has won in all three matchups.
• All three games played between 2019-22.
• Chaz Lanier started in last season's game with nine points and four rebounds.
• Dorian James and Oscar Berry also saw time against the Panthers.

An Osprey Win Would...

• Tie the overall series between UNF and High Point.
• Improves UNF's home record to 4-1 through five games.
• Break two-game losing streak and extends home winning streak to three games.

PROJECTED UNF STARTING FIVE

G - Ametri Moss
G - Oscar Berry
G - Chaz Lanier
F - Nate Lliteras
F - Dorian James

COACH DRISCOLL ON TOMORROW'S GAME

"We are continually flowing and growing from not only game-to-game, but in actuality from practice-to-practice. It seems like we have really begun to develop an identity that parallels our skill set, which creates an inner-energy and excitement that's necessary as you begin that second phase of the non-conference schedule. High Point is the first of four in a row at home providing an extreme awareness to our transition defense with their combination of attacking the rim quickly. They attempt almost 29 three-pointers per game and combine that with an aggressive ball-hawking, physical defensive approach that will test our habits for 40 minutes."
-- head coach Matthew Driscoll

SCOUTING HIGH POINT

• The Panthers are sitting with a 5-3 record through eight games so far this season.
• They have lost both true road games played against Wofford and Queens (N.C.)
• Coming off back-to-back wins against Mount Olive and Morgan State at home.
• Went 2-1 over the Thanksgiving week tournament at the Gulf Coast Showcase.
• Duke Miles leads the team in scoring with 17.9 PPG, while also averaging a team-high 4.3 APG.
• The junior guard also spends the most time on the court with 28.6 MPG and holds a .602 FG percentage.
• Abdoulaye Thiam, Kimani Hamilton and Kezza Giffa all average double scoring figures as well.
• Hamilton through eight games played records 8.0 RPG to go with his 13.1 PPG.
• Nine players have appeared in all eight games, along with 11 players with at least five games played.

LOOKING AHEAD

North Florida continues its home stretch with a midweek matchup against Edward Waters on Tuesday, Dec. 5, with tip-off set at 7 p.m., at UNF Arena.

NORTH FLORIDA NOTES

THE 2023-24 SCHEDULE

• 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

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.
• 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.

ROSTER TIDBITS

• 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. Smith 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.