University of North Florida
8-16,3-10ASUN
Florida Gulf Coast
12-12,8-5ASUN
Women's Basketball Falls In Tight Battle With Florida Gulf Coast
2/12/2026 9:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Redshirt sophomore guard Alexa Washington tallied a team-high 15 points, but North Florida Women's Basketball ultimately fell to Florida Gulf Coast, 55-51, at UNF Arena on Thursday evening.
Washington converted on 4-11 from the three-point line in the game. She has registered at least 10 points in seven ASUN Conference contests this season and in 16 career games.
Sophomore guard Jamisyn Stinson scored 10 points on 5-12 from the field, in addition to six rebounds and two steals in 36 minutes. Stinson has posted double figures in six of the last eight games.
Junior guard/forward Karyzma Pierre finished one point and one rebound shy of a double-double on 4-7 from the floor and 1-2 from three, in addition to two steals in 32 minutes. Her nine points were an ASUN high.
North Florida jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first two minutes following a pair of field goals from junior guard Alonya Waldon and freshman forward Dezuray McGill. FGCUÂ took an 11-9 advantage into the first-quarter media timeout.
Washington knocked down a three from the top of the key at the 5:42 mark of the first quarter to help North Florida open 4-8 from the floor. The redshirt sophomore guard, Washington, also made her first three field goals of the contest.
An 8-0 run fueled by Washington's second three in the opening seven minutes of action helped put the Ospreys back ahead 14-11 with 3:33 remaining in the opening quarter. Buzzetti buried a long ball of her own to cap off North Florida's surge.
North Florida led 18-12 at the end of the first quarter. The Ospreys opened 7-14 from the field and 3-5 from beyond the arc in the initial 10 minutes of action and forced FGCU into six turnovers that resulted in eight points on the other end.
Washington made her third three of the game 26 seconds into the second quarter to pave the way for a 23-12 advantage for North Florida entering the second-quarter media timeout.
The Ospreys were strong defensively to open the second quarter, holding FGCU scoreless from the 2:13 mark in the first period until the 5:46 mark in the second.
Washington kept the hot hand and drained her fourth three-pointer of the first half followed by a corner-three by Pierre that allowed North Florida to command a 33-26 advantage entering halftime.
Washington led all Ospreys with 12 points on 4-7 from the floor and 4-6 from beyond the arc, in addition to two assists and one steal in the first 20 minutes of the contest.
Waldon knocked down a jumper and Stinson made a layup to maintain North Florida's edge, 39-32, with 7:32 left in the third quarter.
Pierre banked in a layup and Waldon made a free throw in the final two minutes of the third quarter to help North Florida take a 44-38 lead into the fourth.
Washington made a layup and scored her 15th point on a free throw to help North Florida command a 49-43 advantage at the fourth-quarter media timeout.
Trailing 53-51, McGill just missed on a potential game-tying field goal with three seconds remaining in regulation, bringing the score to the eventual final.
North Florida outscored FGCU 18-12 in the first quarter. The Ospreys held the lead for 34-plus minutes in the game. North Florida scored 12 second-chance points to FGCU's zero and outscored the Eagles' bench 11-5. On the glass, UNF out-rebound FGCU on the offensive end, 12-9.
North Florida remains home at UNF Arena to host Jacksonville for the River City Rumble on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m.
