North Florida men’s basketball has gone from being undefeated to winless and defenseless.
After starting 3-0, UNF has lost nine of its last 13 games and is currently 1-3 in the ASUN conference, with two of its three conference losses coming at home.
On Nov. 12, the UNF men’s basketball team had just defeated Georgia Tech on the road to notch its second Power Four win in three games, which generated 14 votes in the AP Top 25 rankings and national attention from numerous media outlets.
However, as the season went along, this success methodically dwindled away. Currently, the Ospreys sit at 8-9, losers of five of its last seven. To sum it up in one phrase, the Ospreys have taken a plunge.
So, how did the Ospreys go from receiving national votes and attention to sitting at the bottom of the ASUN standings? There is one reason, but it’s not as clear as one might think. The answer: UNF’s defensive efficiency. North Florida is ranked last in the ASUN defensively, allowing an average of 85.1 points per game.
Against Division One opponents, UNF has only allowed under 89 points four times and three of those instances were during the first month of the season. Since the 3-0 start, North Florida has given up 89 or more points eight times. UNF head coach Matthew Driscoll preached consistency following the Jan. 4 96-64 defeat against Lipscomb.
“But the problem is no consistency,” Driscoll told UNF Athletics. “And if you ain’t consistent in your life, you’re gonna really struggle.”
On a positive note, UNF is consistently producing on the offensive side of the ball. As of Jan. 8, North Florida remains first in the conference in points per game with 83.8. The production and efficiency on offense comes from four players on the team averaging double-digit points per game: Josh Harris, Liam Murphy, Jaylen Smith, and Nate Lliteras.
It’s been established that UNF has what it takes to win with their offense, hence North Florida’s 105-93 victory over Georgia Tech. But winning shootouts on offense doesn’t usually last long. It’s not easy for teams to win games by trying to outscore their opponent, and that’s why a defensive identity needs to be established.
One way for UNF to improve defensively is to start defending without fouling. Granted, it is hard to operate that way all season, especially on the road, but UNF can certainly improve that clip at home.
In North Florida’s three complete conference games, the Ospreys have allowed opponents to shoot 91 free throws. That’s an average of 30 free throws per conference game, which is quite a large amount. While UNF gave up its fewest—23—free throws in the team’s most recent outing against Eastern Kentucky, the Ospreys took only 12 foul shots.
Players on the team have taken accountability for the team’s slow start. Following the Lipscomb game, sophomore guard Jasai Miles said the players are mainly responsible for UNF’s struggles.
“[Coach Driscoll] does help us, we know the recipe of what we need to do,” Miles said. “It’s the 14 guys in our locker room… We just have to go out and execute.”
The Ospreys showed some fight against Eastern Kentucky by overcoming a 12-point first-half deficit but came up short in a 74-79 loss. Thankfully, on Saturday, the Ospreys shot their way to a 98-83 win over Bellarmine, giving UNF its first ASUN conference win.
UNF will try for consecutive wins for the first time since November when the Ospreys host Central Arkansas next Thursday at UNF Arena.
___
For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact editor@unfspinnaker.com.
