JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—Top seeded North Florida connected for 14 3-pointers as the Ospreys rolled to an 81-67 win over Stetson in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament quarterfinals, Tuesday at UNF Arena.
Stetson ends the 2014-15 campaign with a 9-22 overall record. UNF improves to 21-11 overall, and host Lipscomb in the tournament semifinals on Thursday.
“Today's game was a game we knew we had to play our very best,” said Stetson head coach Corey Williams. “They can shoot from every position. They have guys who can attack, and they are used to playing in pressure situations. It says a lot about their basketball team and who they are.
“But I'm awfully proud of my team. We got down by 30, and we had a chance to pack it in but we didn't. We fought and we kept fighting until the very end.”
The Stetson duo of senior Kentwan Smith and freshman Divine Myles combined for 38 points, but the Hatters couldn't slow down the A-Sun's top offensive squad. The Ospreys shot 53 percent from the game, making 14-of-29 from beyond the arc.
Much the regular-season finale between these same teams last Saturday, UNF raced out to a huge lead only to see Stetson get back in the game late in the second half.
After leading 45-28 at halftime, the Ospreys upped their advantage to 67-37 on a Trent Mackey 3-pointer with 13:02 to play. But the hatters slowly rallied behind Smith and Myles to make a game of it down the stretch.
Four straight points by Grant Lozoya and a free throw from B.J. Glasford put Stetson within 67-42. Smith connected for a trey and hit back-to-back layups to make it 67-49. After a jumper by UNF's DeMarcus Daniels pushed the deficit to 69-49, Myles and Smith hit consecutive three-pointers to pull the Hatters within 72-55 with 6:44 to play.
Four straight free throws, a tip-in by Smith and a layup by Myles put the Hatters within 77-65 with 1:55 to play, but Stetson made just one more field goal the rest of the way as UNF earned the win.
Playing in his final collegiate game, Smith was 8-of-13 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers for 19 points, while adding eight rebounds. He ends the season as the AS-Sun's leader in rebounds with 6.8 per game.
Myles was 8-of-18 from the field in scoring 19 points, and had seven rebounds and two assists.
Beau Beech led five UNF players in double figures with 19 points.
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