By: Josh Brannock, Sports Editor

The UNF men’s basketball team (10-12, 4-5) stopped its four game losing streak Jan. 23 against the Kennesaw State Owls (3-18, 0-9).

The Ospreys used strong outside shooting and 23 points from sophomore Travis Wallace to come out of Kennesaw with a 76-68 win. UNF nearly blew a 17 point second half lead as the Owls came roaring back in the final minutes of the game. With just 1:05 left to go in the game KSU’s Spencer Dixon made one of two free throws to make it a 71-68 game. The Ospreys would hold KSU scoreless for the rest of the game and ended on a 5-0 run.

UNF had two players in double-digits, Wallace and junior guard Parker Smith. Smith connected on five of his ten three pointers and proved to be a key component for UNF with his 18 total points.

Although UNF controlled the game up until the late KSU run, the team was still out rebounded 33-28. UNF has been struggling recently in the rebound battle after starting the year seemingly better on the boards than in prior years. The Ospreys have allowed teams multiple oppurtunites to score second chance points over the last five games, all of which were close in the final minutes of the game.

UNF will look to break the .500 mark in conference play Jan. 28, as they stay on the road to play the Lipscomb Bruins (10-10, 5-3). UNF beat Lipscomb earlier this season at home Jan. 4. The Ospreys blew out the Bruins 82-61. Smith scored 20 points in the game and UNF out rebounded Lipscomb 37-28. Although the Bruins lost to UNF in a lopsided match, the team has beaten the likes of Belmont, preseason Atlantic Sun Conference favorite, East Tennessee State University and Stetson, all teams that UNF has lost to this season.

The A-Sun conference is still wide open as it seems no team is safe from a loss in conference play. UNF is currently in seventh place, but a win over Lipscomb has the potential to rocket the team into a four-way tie for fourth place.

Email Josh at [email protected].

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