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Huddle at Liberty

Men's Basketball Athletic Communications

Hatters Begin Final Push by Hosting UNF Thursday

Stetson men's basketball begins its final homestand of the regular season on Thursday when the Hatters welcome ASUN Conference foe North Florida to Edmunds Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
 
The Hatters (15-14 overall, 9-5 ASUN) endured a difficult week last week, losing road games at NJIT and Liberty. But the news wasn't all bad, as Stetson learned it will host at least a quarterfinal game in next month's ASUN Conference Tournament, which begins Tuesday, March 3 at the campus sites of the conference's top four teams.
 
Stetson enters the weekend in third place in the conference standings, one-and-a-half games ahead of fourth place Lipscomb. If Stetson wins once this weekend, or if Lipscomb (8-7) loses to Liberty on Saturday, the Hatters will clinch third place outright. Stetson hasn't finished as high as third since the 2012-13 season.
 
The Ospreys (19-11, 12-3), meanwhile, begin the final weekend in second place in the conference standings, one-half game behind league-leading Liberty.
 
Stetson closes out the regular season, 1 p.m., Saturday, when the Hatters host Jacksonville. Seniors Jahlil Rawley and Ricky Gouety will be honored in pregame ceremonies.
 
Game Notes
•Thursday's game will mark the 32nd meeting all-time between the Hatters and Ospreys. North Florida owns a 19-12 advantage in the series.
•Stetson last defeated UNF in DeLand on Jan. 28, 2017, winning 88-74
•Overall, the Hatters have lost six straight to UNF, including a 78-65 loss in Jacksonville on January 30
 
Under the Hat
•Following their recent 59-42 win against Kennesaw State, the Hatters are now 14-3 this season when holding an opponent under 70 points. Saturday's margin of victory was Stetson's largest of the season against a Division I opponent.
•Stetson is 9-5 in games decided by 5 points or less, with 7 of those victories coming in ASUN play. Those 9 total victories are more than any other Division I team in the country.
•One year after failing to win a single road game, the Hatters are 8-9 away from Edmunds Center, including 7-8 in true road games. It's the most road/neutral site victories for Stetson since the 1994-95 squad also won 8.
•Freshman Joel Kabimba has been a significant contributor to the Hatters over the last four games, averaging 10.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. He scored a career-high 16 points against North Alabama, and had 11 points and 8 rebounds last Saturday at Liberty.
•Rob Perry (15.7) and Mahamadou Diawara (12.3) continue to be the highest-scoring freshman tandem in the ASUN Conference at a combined 28.0points per game. Perry is 11th nationally among all freshmen, and his 34 points at Western Illinois on Nov. 9 is the 3rd-best single-game effort by a freshman this season.
•The Hatters made some history on Dec. 17 when five freshmen (Diawara, Ivery, Kabimba, Panzo, Perry) were in the starting lineup at UNC Asheville, for what's believed to be the first time in program history. The Hatters regularly started four freshmen during the 2010-11 season but research has not yet turned up another all-freshman starting five.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Ricky Gouety

#21 Ricky Gouety

F
6' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Jahlil Rawley

#4 Jahlil Rawley

G
6' 4"
Senior
Mahamadou Diawara

#15 Mahamadou Diawara

F/C
6' 10"
Freshman
Joel Kabimba

#35 Joel Kabimba

F
6' 8"
Freshman
Rob Perry

#2 Rob Perry

G
6' 3"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ricky Gouety

#21 Ricky Gouety

6' 10"
Redshirt Senior
F
Jahlil Rawley

#4 Jahlil Rawley

6' 4"
Senior
G
Mahamadou Diawara

#15 Mahamadou Diawara

6' 10"
Freshman
F/C
Joel Kabimba

#35 Joel Kabimba

6' 8"
Freshman
F
Rob Perry

#2 Rob Perry

6' 3"
Freshman
G