JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - It took an extra five minutes of play to determine a winner, but North Florida women's basketball (6-8) pulled out a resilient victory against Florida A&M (1-10), 76-71, in its non-conference finale on Friday evening in UNF Arena.
The Ospreys trailed for the majority of the game against FAMU, but a late score from
Kaila Rougier sent UNF to overtime tied at 62 all. The Rattlers scored first in the overtime period, but a 10-0 run down three points sealed the deal for UNF to move grab its sixth win of the season.
Rougier led the team in scoring with 20 points on the night, which fell one shy of her season-high mark.
Emma Broermann dominated on both sides of the ball with 18 points and eight rebounds, while also falling one point short of her season-high total as well.
UNF 76, FAMU 71 (OT)
RECORDS
North Florida | 6-8
Florida A&M | 1-10
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
First Half: Florida A&M jumped out to a lead from the jump, but Broermann converted on early layups to keep it within a possession in the first...the first three-pointer of the game came from
Jayla Adams off an assist from
Selma Eklund to give the Ospreys the lead...
Sarah Taub broke up a FAMU run, but
Lyric Swann nailed a buzzer-beating three from just short of half court to put UNF within a possession at the end of the opening period...
Alexa Washington made her presence known off the bench with a three to start the second off for UNF...Taub made a layup with just over a minute left and rejected the Rattlers' last minute short to end the half down six points.
Second Half: Broermann continued to work in the paint with another made layup to start the Ospreys back from the break...she came back to the well just moments later, followed by another pair of layups from Taub and Adams...UNF also continued to force their way onto the charity stripe a few times before Adams hit another buzzer beater for the Ospreys at the end of the third to make it a two-point game...back-to-back scores from Rougier and Broermann gave UNF the lead and forced a FAMU timeout...the two veterans continued to find ways to score and keep it within two points...the entirety of the fourth quarter remained a one-possession game finished off by Rougier making the game-tying layup with 24 seconds left to force overtime at 'The Nest'.
Overtime: The Rattlers jumped out to a four-point lead after free throws were made, but Taub, Broermann and Washington each found open lanes to cash in on scores to retake the lead...seven made free throws down the stretch of the extra five minutes secured a five-point victory, 76-71, heading into ASUN play next week.
LEADERS BY THE NUMBERS
UNF
Kaila Rougier | 20 points, 3 rebounds
Emma Broermann | 18 points, 8 rebounds
Sarah Taub | 14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals
Jayla Adams | 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
FAMU
Ahriahna Grizzle | 31 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks
Nashani Gilbert | 12 points, 9 rebounds
Peryonna Sylvester | 10 points, 3 rebounds
COACH'S THOUGHTS
NOTES
- Rougier scored 20+ points for a second time this season, while Broermann was one point short of her season high with eight boards.
- Taub and Adams also joined in the double figures with 14 and 11 points respectively.
- Second overtime game of the year and the first time having two overtime games before ASUN play in a season since 2017.
- Neither team had a lead of more than two points for the entirety of the fourth quarter.
- UNF held the margin for points off turnovers, 22-20, points in the paint, 38-24, and second-chance points, 15-10.
- They also were better than the Rattlers for fast break points, 10-7, and bench points, 19-10.
- There were 11 times tied and 10 lead changes throughout the 45 minutes of play, as UNF only lead for just under six minutes.
- Ospreys returned from break with the same starting lineup for a seventh straight game.
UP NEXT
North Florida jumps right into Atlantic Sun competition, as they have the opportunity to host its first conference opponent of the season in Stetson on Thursday, Jan. 4, with tip-off set for 7 p.m., at UNF Arena.
