The University of North Florida women’s basketball team faced a dramatic loss Thursday at UNF Arena against Queens, with a final score of 84-81 after overtime.

Senior guard Kaila Rougier finished the night with 22 points, helping the Ospreys stage a second-half comeback that ultimately fell just short.

First Half

Senior guard Jazmine Spencer started the Ospreys’ scoring with a layup to take an early lead against the Royals, but Queens responded back with two 3-pointers from guard Aylesha Wade.

Rougier and freshman forward Jasmynne Gibson added points of their own, but UNF entered the first media timeout down 14-8.

Gibson continued to play well, drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line. With those points, she helped keep the Ospreys within striking distance with 2:30 left in the first quarter. The Royals responded back, however, extending their lead to 21-16 at the buzzer.

The second quarter began with the Ospreys’ first 3-pointer of the night, courtesy of freshman guard Jamisyn Stinson. On the next possession, she would find open space and hit another shot from beyond the arc for her second 3-pointer.

The Royals and Ospreys continued to battle, with Queens having a four-point advantage going into the next timeout with 5 minutes left in the first half.

Both teams traded buckets until the two-minute mark when Queens duo Jermany Mapp and Jordyn Weaver made back-to-back shots to extend the Royals’ lead. Jasmine Spencer closed out the half for the Ospreys, sinking free throws to narrow the gap to 42-37 with Queens leading at the break.

Second Half

The second half began exactly as the first half ended, with Spencer at the free-throw line. Gibson then made two layups on consecutive possessions, giving the Ospreys their first lead since the start of the first quarter.

The Royals offense proved its strength, but the Ospreys held their own, challenging Queens’ defense and drawing fouls. UNF capitalized at the line, shooting 83% from the free-throw line.

The third quarter ended with a buzzer-beater floater from Kaila Rougier to propel UNF to a one-point lead entering the fourth quarter.

The Royals started off the fourth quarter strong, tying the game up at 61 points apiece. A jump shot from Royals guard Kamara Mills gave them a brief lead, but a Rougier layup once again deadlocked the contest and kept the game moving.

With 2:34 to go, Royals guard Jermany Mapp sunk a long-range shot, giving Queens a 70-66 lead. Junior guard Helena Rafnsdottir brought the Ospreys back to even footing after scoring 4 quick points.

The Ospreys carried a 72-70 lead going into the final 22 seconds, but the Royals collected the crucial tying points to send the game to overtime.

Overtime

The two sides got off to an even start in overtime, with Queens taking a 75-74 lead via forward Kaitlyn Adams’ floated shot. Guard Ana Barreto then extended the Royals lead further with a long-range shot, giving Queens a four-point lead.

The Ospreys fought back, as Rougier drove to the basket for a layup with 37 seconds left. The Ospreys then capitalized on a turnover to find freshman forward Nicole Carreno open for a game-tying 3-pointer that had the Ospreys believing the game would go into a second overtime period.

The Royals, however, wasted no time driving down the court. With swift passing, they found Kamara Mills, who sank a buzzer-beater, handing the Ospreys a heartbreaking loss.

Post-game Reaction

After the game, Osprey head coach Erika Lambert explained what went wrong for the Ospreys and put emphasis on the “little things.”

“We had this one within our reach, and we let it get away,” she said. “In a game like this, you’ve really got to lock in on the small things that weren’t done well.”

Lambert also highlighted the importance of gaining experience playing in games like these, citing “end-of-game scenarios” as a specific area where her team learned important lessons.

“It’s about the big picture and the future of this program,” she said. “Tonight hurts, but we’re continuing to move forward.”

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