The University of North Florida men’s basketball team defeated the Stetson Hatters 101-100 in a tightly fought contest that went into overtime on Wednesday. Six Ospreys made it to double-figures in points, powering them to their fourth win in conference play.

First Half

Both teams got off to a slow start offensively, with no points made in the first few possessions. Senior guard Nate Lliteras gave the Ospreys their first points of the night with a shot from deep.

The slow start continued right up to the first media timeout, with the two sides combining for just 8 points in the first 4 minutes of play.

After the break, both offenses started to find some rhythm. Lliteras sunk another long range effort, sophomore guard Jasai Miles drove to the basket for a simple layup and sophomore guard Jaylen Smith added a 3-pointer of his own to keep the game within a possession.

Hatters forward Josh Massey sank a layup to give Stetson a 13-11 advantage going into the next break with 11:53 to go in the first half.

The Hatters and Ospreys continued to battle, with senior guard Oscar Berry sinking a free throw to give UNF a slim 19-18 lead. Stetson took the lead right back with a close range shot from Hatters forward Finley Sheridan.

A huge block from Lliteras leading to a Miles 3-pointer swung the momentum back to the Ospreys favor at the 5:40 mark. Stetson’s offensive output began to dwindle as the Ospreys reeled off a quick 12-0 run that included points from Miles, Smith and graduate guard Liam Murphy. This made the score 37-26 with under four minutes until half-time.

North Florida maintained their lead, continuing to play well on offense. The half ended with a tipped shot from Stetson forward Jordan Wood to cut the Ospreys lead to 44-35 heading into the locker rooms.

Second Half

The Ospreys started the second half much like they ended the first half. After a Josh Harris block, UNF went on a fast break, with senior guard Ametri Moss passing it back to Harris for the layup. Oscar Berry added a quick 3-pointer with 15:57 left to give the Ospreys a 56-46 lead.

Stetson started strong out of the break, with a layup from Finley Sheridan and a deep shot from James Wood to cut the Ospreys lead to 5 points.

The Ospreys responded, with junior guard Kamrin Oriol sinking a long range effort of his own off the bench to reestablish the 10 point lead with 13:31 left on the clock. UNF maintained this lead for a large portion of the half as the game became scrappier with more fouls being committed on both sides.

As the game approached the end of regulation, Stetson refused to give up. Hatters guard Mehki Ellison deposited a layup with 1:56 left to make it 83-78. Stetson clung to that momentum, with James Wood hitting a long 3-pointer to continue to cut the deficit.

Then, a Josh Massey layup followed by a Wood corner three allowed the Hatters to complete the comeback, giving them an improbable 86-85 lead with only 5 seconds left on the clock.

The Ospreys moved quickly, streaking down the court and putting Jaylen Smith in a position to drive inside and draw a foul. He hit one of his two free throws to send the game to overtime.

Overtime

Jasai Miles got the Ospreys off to a fast start in overtime with a layup just 4 seconds in. After Stetson responded with a layup of their own, Miles sank a three to give UNF a 91-88 lead. Miles finished the night with a team high 18 points and 7 rebounds.

Stetson kept it close, tying it up with a floated shot from guard Abramo Canka. Mehki Ellison then grabbed the lead back for Stetson with a layup with 2:15 left to play.

The Ospreys drew level with a fastbreak opportunity that ended with a Josh Harris layup. Nate Lliteras then gave UNF a 99-96 lead with a corner three off of another fast break.

Abramo Canka continued to play well in overtime, bringing Stetson to within one with a layup, and then drew a foul to get to the free throw line. He sank both attempts and put the Hatters ahead by one with 14.5 seconds left.

With the game on the line, Lliteras received a pass from Jaylen Smith and then drove inside to the rim, sinking a layup and giving the Ospreys the lead with just 2 seconds left on the clock. Hatters guard Jamie Phillips Jr. then launched a near half-court shot, but it bounced off the rim and backboard, falling short as the Ospreys secured the win.

Lliteras finished the night with 16 points and 5 rebounds. Josh Harris collected a double-double, putting up 16 points of his own, along with 10 rebounds and a career high 4 blocks.

Post-Game Thoughts

After the game, head coach Matthew Driscoll referred to the game as a “pillow fight”, highlighting the chaotic nature of conference play.

“Stetson is not gonna quit. Our league is like that,” Driscoll said. “…every night, it’s a battle.”

Lliteras recounted his game winning shot, noting that he quickly looked at the clock when he got the ball. 

“When I caught it, I saw there was about 3 seconds left,” he said. “I saw it [the gap in the defense], I ripped towards it and like coach said, used my kill dribble, got in the paint and was able to make the layup.” 

Up Next

The Ospreys travel across town to rival Jacksonville for the River City Rumble on Saturday, Feb. 1. Tip off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.