JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida plays its fifth game against a power four opponent Saturday in Gainesville as the Ospreys wrap up non-conference play at Florida Dec. 21 at noon.

GAME DETAILS
Who | North Florida and Florida
What | Final non-conference game of the regular season
When | Saturday, Dec. 21 at 12 p.m.
Where | Gainesville, Fla.
Coverage | SECN

Projected Starters
Sophomore, Guard | Jaylen Smith
Senior, Guard | Oscar Berry 
Sophomore, Guard | Jasai Miles
Senior, Guard | Nate Lliteras
Graduate, Forward | Liam Murphy

Coach Driscoll on The Upcoming Game
"Just like my 16 years at North Florida, this non-conference schedule has flown by as we reach the final game of non-conference play this season tomorrow in Gainesville. Credit to our guys for persevering through the ebbs and flows over the first 12 games. A lot has transpired and they've been pushed in getting to know each other while collecting some really impressive wins, including three true road victories. Florida is every bit as advertised after having taken a deep dive into their team in our preparation. The Gators' skill level, experience and explosive scoring at the guard position has and will carry them however far they go this season. Their forwards have gained more and more confidence as non-conference has progressed, allowing them to receive the earned ranking they currently possess."

Last Time Out
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - All nine Ospreys (7-5) that saw time got in the scoring column Tuesday night at UNC Asheville (7-4), but the Bulldogs were able to create an early lead and hold on down the stretch as the Ospreys came up short, 95-81, Dec. 17.

Scouting the Opponent
Florida is 11-0 entering the game Saturday … the Gators are coming off a six-point win against North Carolina in the Jumpman Invitational … Florida is one of four remaining unbeaten teams in college basketball, alongside Oklahoma, Drake and Tennessee … Walter Clayton Jr. paces the team with 18.5 points per game, while Alex Condon is bringing in a team-best 7.4 boards per contest.

Series History
UNF and Florida are meeting for the 11th time … the Gators and Ospreys last met in 2021 … North Florida has hosted Florida twice, including in the 2016 NIT.

Against Power Four Programs this Year
North Florida is 2-2 against Power Four programs this season … the Ospreys won their first two games, defeating South Carolina and Georgia Tech .. UNF is taking on its third SEC program of the season after also facing Georgia … North Florida has already set a record for most wins against P4 teams in a season with two.

Atop the Nation
North Florida ranks in the top ten in the nation in three different statistical categories. UNF is sixth in the NCAA in scoring offense (87.9 points per game), first in three-point attempts per game (37.3) and first in three-pointers per game (13.6).

Awards Flooding In
Josh Harris and Jasai Miles swept the Atlantic Sun weekly awards last week, with both earning their first-ever weekly league laurels. For Harris he was named Atlantic Sun Newcomer of the Week after going for 22.5 points per game, while Miles was tabbed player of the week for his 23 points per game. 

Jaylen Smith joined in today with his first-ever Atlantic Sun Player of the Week honor after posting 21 points against UNC Greensboro.

Just the Fourth Time Ever
Miles' 30-point and 11-rebound performance against Georgia Southern was just the fourth-ever 30-point and 10-board performance in UNF history, and the first since Carter Hendricksen did so in 2023 at Central Arkansas. 

Starting off Strong
UNF's 5-2 start to the season matched the program's best mark in the month of November, previously set during the 2015-16 season. UNF has never had a better start to a season during the opening month in the program's DI era.

Dishing Out Dimes
North Florida went for a DI-era program record 33 assists against Edward Waters … the Ospreys scored 20 three-pointers in the win, one shy of a program record … sophomore guard Jaylen Smith had nine assists in the win.

History at UNF
North Florida's start to the 2024-25 has been a historic one, with the Ospreys earning their first-ever wins against an SEC foe and ACC foe in the same week. UNF's Power Four victories in the opening week matched the program's all-time record for wins against Power Four programs. Thanks to the wins against South Carolina and Georgia Tech, along with a 24-point win against Charleston Southern, North Florida earned 14 votes in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, a first for the Ospreys. North Florida also earned a spot at No. 10 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll … UNF's 3-0 start is its best to begin a season since 2015-16 … North Florida is the first-ever team to defeat two Power Five teams on the road in opening weekend.

Freshman Phenom
Freshman Josh Harris has put his abilities on display early on in the season … the forward notched 23 points against Charleston Southern and poured in 22 at Georgia Tech. His 16.3 points per game scoring average was the highest by any UNF freshman in the program's DI era through three games. He also broke the 20-point marker ahead of any previous UNF freshman during that era. His 23-point game against Charleston Southern was the most by a UNF freshman since Wajid Aminu had 24 in 2016 … Nov. 29 he added 20 points and nine boards at SIUE.

The Familiar Faces 
North Florida men's basketball returns five players, all of which started the majority of last year's games or have been a starter throughout their collegiate career … Nate Lliteras started the most games among all returners, tallying 31 starts in 31 contests while averaging 10.4 points per game, the most among returning players … Jaylen Smith was thrust into the starting point guard position last year after junior guard Ametri Moss suffered a season-ending injury at the start of league play … the lefty guard out of Ocoee, Fla., went on to earn all-freshman honors from the conference … Oscar Berry is the most veteran Osprey in the Navy and Gray this year, having played two years with UNF after starting out his collegiate career at Fairleigh-Dickinson … after making his first collegiate start not far from home in Coral Gables last December, now-sophomore Jasai Miles returns after making 19 starts and averaging 5.7 points per game.

Rundown on the Newcomers
UNF's roster features eight newcomers, not including redshirt-freshman Mason Lee who sat last year out after joining UNF from nearby Providence School of Jacksonville … four are true freshmen, including Josh Harris, Arden Begaj, Taylor Thompson and Dante Oliver … the other four newcomers bring in significant experience as transfers, two of which have already earned degrees in Liam Murphy and Nestor Dyachok … Murphy put up 12 points and seven boards a game at Columbia as a freshman, while Dyachok scored over nine points per game for Southern Utah … Alex Vargo joins the Ospreys by way of Garrett College, scoring over 26 points per game while lighting up Southern Maryland for 47 in a single contest … he started his collegiate career at Youngstown State after scoring 1,634 points at Wheeling Park HS … sharpshooter Kamrin Oriol comes back to his home state of Florida after earning league freshman of the year honors in 2022-23 … he was named conference player of the week once last season.