DeLAND—North Florida's Dallas Moore scored a game-high 30 points and the Ospreys used a 15-2 run in the final six minutes to turn a nail-biter into a 97-79 victory over Stetson in the Atlantic Sun Conference opener for both teams, Wednesday at Edmunds Center.
Moore was 14-of-22 from the field for the Ospreys (12-6, 1-0) but UNF needed a late spurt to put the Hatters away down the stretch.
Leading 74-70 with 6:05 to play, the Ospreys got back-to-back buckets from Chris Davenport for a 79-70 lead with 5:05 left. After Stetson's Brian Pegg scored a layup to get the Hatters (6-10, 0-1) within 79-72, UNF scored 10 points in the next 55 seconds, including back-to-back three-pointers by Trent Mackey, to take an 89-72 lead with 3:33 to go. Stetson never got closer than 15 points the rest of the way.
“We lost our composure and it snowballed from there,” said Stetson head coach Corey Williams. “We missed a couple of shots, kind of chippy's that we normally make, and then they started raining threes. We did a good job to that point of guarding the three-point line. It happened so fast that when you look at the score now you see you lost by 18 but it was a much closer game than the score reflects.”
Stetson and UNF battled through a back-and-forth first half in which Stetson led by as many as 11 points before the Ospreys grabbed a 38-37 lead at intermission.
UNF shot 64 percent in the second half and 52 percent for the game. The A-Sun's most prolific scoring team made 12 three-pointers, just under their average for the season. UNF grabbed 15 offensive rebounds as they out-rebounded the Hatters, 43-32.
Davenport just missed a triple-double with 15 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists. Mackey chipped in with 12 points.
Freshman Derick Newton scored 14 of his team-leading 22 points in the first half to lead Stetson. Pegg battled foul trouble and Davenport but still managed 16 points and five rebounds. Divine Myles added 13 points, seven boards and six assists while Cameron had had 12 points.
“Games like this you've got to step up and be counted and guys have to make big plays,” said Williams. “You can't afford to turn the ball over. You can't afford to be relaxed. You've got to block out. Every detail in the scouting report is very important and our guys have to follow the scouting report we give them.”
The Hatters resume A-Sun play when they visit FGCU, 7 p.m., Saturday, in Fort Myers, Fla.
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