FLORENCE, Ala. (February 1, 2024) – The University of North Alabama women's basketball team earned their third straight Atlantic Sun Conference win Thursday night, defeating the North Florida Ospreys 60-51 inside CB&S Bank Arena.
The matchup from Florence, Ala. saw the Lions earn their fifth ASUN win of the year, moving to 9-12 overall and 5-3 in the conference standings — tied for fourth. North Alabama led from start to finish as defense and efficient shooting led to the home victory.
North Florida dropped to 7-14 overall and 1-6 in the ASUN.
Freshman guard Veronaye Charlton continued her strong week of play, leading the team with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. The reigning ASUN Freshman of the Week hit a career-high three three-pointers while also contributing two steals.
Sophomore guard Alyssa Clutter (13) and senior guard Alexis Callins (12) registered double-figure scoring totals, with Callins scoring in double figures in all but three games this season. Tonight marked the 13th game this season Clutter has scored in double figures.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER: The first period began with the Lions setting the tone on the defensive end. UNA held the Ospreys to 23.1 percent shooting in the quarter, resulting in only seven points for the visitors. Charlton led the way with seven early points, scoring as many points as North Florida in the period. The Lions led 16-7 after one in CB&S Bank Arena.
SECOND QUARTER: Both teams improved their shooting percentages in the second quarter, but the Lions were able to maintain control and extend their lead. It was a balanced scoring effort for North Alabama, as seven Lions scored at least two points in the quarter. A 19-point second quarter for North Alabama sent the game into halftime leading 35-22, with UNA shooting over 51.7 percent in the half.
THIRD QUARTER: Scoring came at a premium for both teams in the third quarter, as both combined for 20 total points in the period. The Ospreys held the slight 11-9 scoring advantage in the period, but the Lions maintained their double-digit lead. Charlton (5) and Clutter (4) provided all the scoring for North Alabama to keep a 44-33 lead heading to the fourth.
FOURTH QUARTER: The fourth quarter brought fireworks, as the teams equaled the total points of the third quarter halfway through the final period. The Lions were hot to start, shooting 80 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from deep to counter the Ospreys' 62.5 percent quarter shooting. Despite the shooting of the Lions, North Florida continued to chip away at the lead. The Ospreys once again scored more than North Alabama in the quarter (18-16), but the deficit proved too much to overcome as UNA went on to win their third straight ASUN game.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
· 7 – First quarter defense has been a strength for the Lions, as UNA held the Ospreys to seven points in the first period of play. UNA has now held opposing teams to under 10 points in the first quarter for a third straight game.
· 38 – Despite the 35-32 rebound advantage going towards the Ospreys, paint points came aplenty for UNA with a game-high 38. Charlton led the way with six rebounds, with graduate forward Allie Craig Cruce, freshman guard Katie Criswell and sophomore forward India Howard finishing with four. Eight Lions registered a rebound against North Florida.
· 18/6/6 – The reigning ASUN Freshman of the Week started the two-game week with a strong performance after earning her second weekly honor. The Nassau, Bahamas native finished with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists, leading the team in all three categories.
· 20% – Facing one of the top three-point shooting teams in the ASUN, the Lions held the Ospreys to five threes on 25 attempts for just 20 percent. This was tied for the second-lowest number of threes North Florida has made in a game this season, with the Ospreys averaging over eight threes per game.
· 6 -- This is the number of free boneless wings that fans can retrieve at the Buffalo Wild Wings location in Florence after every UNA win with the purchase of six wings. Fans are encouraged to show their ticket or the social media graphic to retrieve the offer.
COMING UP NEXT
UNA Women's Basketball continues its home stint with a Saturday afternoon matchup against the Jacksonville Dolphins on Feb. 3, scheduled for a 5 p.m. tipoff.
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