Scintillating Shooting Ignites Wire-to-Wire Rout of Stetson

Saturday, February 11

Jacksonville, Fla.

2 p.m.

University of North Florida

11-15,6-8ASUN

Stetson

14-11,9-5ASUN

Stetson

North Florida

Photo by: Todd Drexler

2/11/2023 8:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jose Placer drilled a three-pointer 12 seconds after the opening tip-off as the Ospreys (11-15, 6-8 ASUN) led for 39 minutes and 48 seconds in a wire-to-wire rout of Stetson (14-11, 9-5 ASUN), 92-81, Saturday, Feb. 11. UNF shot 60.9 percent from deep, good for the best team mark since 2017 and the third-highest percentage in UNF DI's era.

All five Ospreys scored in double figures, with Placer pacing the squad with 19 points. Carter Hendricksen followed with 17 points and a highwater mark, six assists. Jonathan Aybar and Dorian James combined to put up 17 points and 15 boards off the bench, keeping Stetson from getting anything going down low.

UNF's 14-for-23 afternoon from beyond the arc was coupled with staunch perimeter defense as a dangerous Stetson team was held to 8-for-22 from deep. The Ospreys helped put the game out of reach by going 20-for-22 from the line as UNF had as large as a 17-point lead.

FINAL SCORE
Stetson | 81
UNF | 92

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
1st Half

Jadyn Parker won the opening tip-off and Placer buried a high-arcing three-pointer just 12 seconds later as UNF set the tone … UNF had a 9-2 lead at the first media timeout, holding Stetson to 1-for-4 shooting over the first four minutes … Hendricksen added another three-pointer, UNF forced Stetson into poor shots and Aybar racked up the rebounds to keep UNF in front, 16-11 … the Ospreys worked another 9-2 run to expand their advantage to 25-13 … exquisite ball movement setup good looks from deep, which Jarius Hicklen and James took advantage of … Aybar continued to bully the Hatters down low, with Aybar and James posting a combined 13 points and 11 boards at the 3:28 mark in the first half … Stetson countered with a 7-0 run, its longest of the game, cutting UNF's lead to 35-30 … after a timeout, the Ospreys punched back, closing the half up 10 thanks to more work on the outside from Oscar Berry and Jose Placer.

2nd Half

If there was any momentum on the table for Stetson to claim in the second, UNF took it away immediately, going on a 7-0 run to open the second half, keying a Stetson timeout at the 17:52 mark … Parker got in on the action down low and helped keep UNF's lead in and around the double-digit range through the second media timeout … Stetson never got within striking distance, but did get within eight at the 2:23 mark ... Berry's three-pointer from the wing in transition buried the Hatters for good.

BY THE NUMBERS

NORTH FLORIDA

Jose Placer | 19 points, 5 assists
Carter Hendricksen | 17 points, 6 assists
Jarius Hicklen | 15 points, 5 rebounds
Jadyn Parker | 12 points, 4 rebounds
Oscar Berry | 12 points, 4 rebounds
Jonathan Aybar & Dorian James | 17 points and 15 rebounds

STETSON

Jalen Blackmon | 18 points
Stephan Swenson | 15 points, 4 rebounds
Sam Peek | 13 points

NOTABLES

UNF is 20-8 against Stetson under head coach Matthew Driscoll
North Florida and Stetson have split the last three season series
UNF is 10-7 at home all-time against Stetson
UNF is 62-36 in February under head coach Matthew Driscoll
All five starters scored in double figures
Hendricksen tied Beau Beech for second all-time in UNF history for points
UNF never trailed and had the lead for all but 12 seconds of the game
North Florida shot a season-best 60.9 from deep
UNF's 90.9 percent mark from the line was the second-best this season
UNF outrebounded Stetson by 10 in defensive boards
Hendricksen reached 130-career games played, tied for the third most in program history
Jadyn Parker is now fifth in UNF history for blocks
Berry posted his second double-digit scoring effort in league play and second in three games
Hendricksen surpassed 3,500 minutes for his career. He is also just seven free throws short of 300
Hendricksen reached 500-career field goals made
Stetson entered as one of the best three-point shooting teams in the nation, but were held to 8-for-22 from deep
Hendricksen tied a season and career-best mark for assists with six
James was one rebound short of his career best
North Florida shot 8-for-11 from beyond the arc in the first half alone, getting one timely three-pointer after another

Postgame Comments

Snippet from @UNFBBALL's opening statement alongside @joseplacer15 and @dorianj12 #BirdsofTrey pic.twitter.com/EKr2FSAkGF
— UNF Men's Basketball (@OspreyMBB) February 11, 2023