Game 16 Preview: at Stetson

Thursday, January 4

DeLand, Fla.

7 p.m.

University of North Florida

Stetson

1/3/2024 3:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Stream Live Stats Media Guide

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida men's basketball looks to bounce back to start the new year with its ASUN opener on the road against Stetson on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m., in Deland, Fla.

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.

Countdown to Tip-Off

at Deland, Fla.

Days

Hours

Mins

Secs

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 Teams

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.

When the preseason polls come out, we talk in our program that October is perception and March is reality. We have definitely learned a lot about ourselves and the ASUN during these non-conference schedules. We also talk about what the ASUN regular season means specifically to earning a spot in the tournament and the seeding that accompanies entrance. One of our mottos starting 15 seasons ago has been that today is the most important day there is, so compete to go 1-0! That being said, opening at Stetson for a second straight year is exciting for all the aforementioned reasons. The Hatters have one of the most explosive and experienced back courts in the ASUN, which in and of itself poses many challenges for us both at the rim and from deep. However, knowing it’s a team sport, we have to be focused on each of their key contributors who have proven that they can explode offensively as well.

Head Coach Matthew Driscoll

UPCOMING MBB SCHEDULE

NEXT FOUR GAMES

Dec 2, 2025 at 7 p.m.

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SIUE

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No. 11/11 Gonzaga

Dec 13, 2025 at 7 p.m

Men's Basketball at

Dayton

Dec 18, 2025 at 11 a.m.

Men's Basketball at

Charleston Southern

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Men's Basketball Post Game Presser vs UNC Greensboro

Sunday, December 15

Coach Driscoll Postgame Interview at Georgia Tech

Monday, November 11