Featured image by: Darvin Nelson

For the first time in seven years, the UNF women’s basketball team defeated JU in a down to the wire 70-64 win. 

As the Ospreys started the game, they were cold from the field and went 3-11 in the first six minutes of the game. 

After going on a 7-0 run in the final four minutes, the Dolphins led, 15-8. 

Shakayla Nevitt fueled the Dolphins offense with 10 points in the first quarter. 

The Ospreys made a statement to open up the second quarter with a 10-2 run and regained an 18-17 lead. 

In a second quarter shootout, the Ospreys trailed, 33-31 to go into halftime. 

Janesha Green led UNF with 10 points at the half and Nevitt put up 12 for the Dolphins. 

Da’Nasia Shaw connected on a pair of three-pointers to give JU their largest lead of the game, 45-36 in the third quarter.

The Ospreys continued to stay within striking distance of the Dolphins, trailing 52-50 at the end of the third quarter. 

With less than four minutes left in the game, a three from Green cut the deficit to 60-59.

The last minute of the game was an absolute electric factory inside Swisher Gymnasium.

Dasha Eremeeva made a free throw to gain a 63-62 lead and Destiny Marshall followed up with a jumper to give the Dolphins a 64-63 lead. 

That was all JU was going to score as the Ospreys went on a 7-0 run to finish strong with a 70-64 win. 

This was UNF head coach Darrick Gibbs’ first win against JU in his fifth year at the helm. 

“We’ve lost 14 straight games against these guys,” Coach Gibbs said. “They’ve been beating us and beating us for years and to be able to come out in this environment and respond the way we did was great.”

 Green led the Ospreys in scoring with 22 points, going 7-12 from the field. 

“This win really set us apart from the rest of the conference right now and I really think we needed this win,” Green said. 

Eremeeva recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds and Jazz Bond matched her with 14 points, 12 rebounds and also swatted away five blocks. 

The Ospreys improve to 10-8 (3-2 ASUN) and take on Lipscomb in Nashville on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 2:30 p.m. 

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