UNF men’s basketball (17-5 overall, 6-0 A-Sun) warmed up the Fleisher Athletic Center with a 94-80 victory over the New Jersey Institute of Technology (11-10 overall, 2-3 A-Sun) on Jan. 24. The Ospreys connected for a program record 20 three-pointers.
A northeastern snowstorm pushed the original game date back from Jan. 23 to the following day. Another delay due to the blizzard pushed the game back again from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 24, but the Ospreys caught fire despite the weather.
UNF controlled the game with quick shooting from behind the arc and locked down defense against the Highlanders. NJIT only connected on 2 three-pointers for the night. Both teams were evenly balanced from the field, with the Ospreys hitting 50 percent completion and the Highlanders making 49 percent of their shots.
In the first half, UNF came out of the gate with the first of many three-pointers from the hands of guard Dallas Moore. NJIT took a 4-3 lead temporarily after two baskets from Terrance Smith. In response, guard Trent Mackey hit a trey to take the lead back for UNF and the Ospreys continued to let it fly from downtown.
UNF made 12 threes in the first half alone, matching their season average, and they went into the locker room with a 50-36 lead.
When play resumed, the Ospreys continued to pull away from NJIT with an early run. Half way through the second period, the Highlanders went on an 8-point spurt, cutting the Osprey lead to 70-54.
UNF guard Aaron Bodager (11 pts) drained a three-pointer to close the game with a final score of 94-80 for the Ospreys’ seventh straight win. Moore finished with a game-high 29 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. Forward Beau Beech dropped 6 treys to contribute 20 points and 7 rebounds, and he also earned career steal 136, making him the all-time steals leader in Osprey history.
Highlander guard Ky Howard fouled out of the game late, finishing the night with 16 points and 4 rebounds. Conference three-point leader Damon Lynn shot 0 for 8 from behind the arc on the night, finishing with 8 points.
At 6-0 in the Atlantic Sun, the Ospreys are sitting pretty at the top of the conference. After a Florida Gulf Coast loss to Lipscomb on Jan. 24, UNF remains as the only undefeated Atlantic Sun team.
UNF’s 6-0 start also matches a program-best beginning to conference play. The Ospreys’ average margin of victory against A-Sun opponents is +15 so far this season, and each of their conference wins have been by double-digits.
Next the Ospreys will return home to the UNF Arena to face the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (13-8 overall, 4-1 A-Sun) on Jan. 30. The Ospreys have won their last two contests against FGCU.
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