FLORENCE, Ala. (February 3, 2024) – The University of North Alabama women's basketball team continued their winning ways at CB&S Bank Arena with a 77-67 win over Atlantic Sun Conference foe Jacksonville from Florence, Ala.
The Lions earned their sixth ASUN win of the year, moving to 10-12 overall and 6-3 in the conference standings — now moving into the top three. The Dolphins are now 6-15 overall and 2-6 in the ASUN.
For the second straight time, North Alabama led from start-to-finish in the matchup against Jacksonville. UNA came out of the blocks with solid shooting from the field with the defense making things tough for the Dolphins early on. North Alabama built up a lead as large as 21 after the first half, but Jacksonville would not go down without a fight.
The visitors outscored UNA 46-35 in the second half and cut the deficit to as little as five with under seven to go in the final period. A big scoring quarter freshman guard Veronaye Charlton and sophomore forward India Howard proved the difference as the Lions were able to secure the double-digit win.
Senior guard Alexis Callins led in scoring for North Alabama with 17 points, while Charlton finished a close second with 16. Howard rounded out the double-digit scorers for UNA with 11 points — her highest total for North Alabama.
Graduate forward Allie Craig Cruce had a near double-double with a career-high 12 boards to go with nine points. The Killen, Ala. native's rebounds were the most by a UNA player in a game this season.
Howard also set a career high in blocks for her best game at UNA so far. She made her presence known in the paint with four blocked shots to lead all players and tied freshman guard Katie Criswell for most in a game this season. Her seven fourth-quarter points proved key in helping the Lions stave off the Jacksonville comeback.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER: Both teams came out of the gates shooting efficient from the floor, with the teams shooting over 60 percent to start. The Lions hit their first five out of eight shots to begin the game, led by six early points from Callins. The defenses would get settled as UNA finished the quarter with 44.4 percent shooting, but the Lions made the biggest difference with six Dolphins' turnovers in the period. North Alabama's early offense propelled them to a 23-12 lead heading to the second quarter.
SECOND QUARTER: The Lions continued to maintain control in the second quarter with solid shooting from the floor and defense to extend their lead. Callins finished the first quarter with six points, but she would more than double her tally with eight points in the second to ignite the UNA offense. The defense improved, as well, forcing Jacksonville to shoot 21.4 percent from the field as the deficit grew in favor of the Lions. A 9-0 scoring run to end the half gave UNA a 21-point lead at 42-21.
THIRD QUARTER: The Dolphins made their move to come back in the third quarter with a strong offensive showing. Twenty-one third quarter points by the Dolphins cut what was a 21-point lead to 14 points, with the Lions struggling to shoot in the quarter. Despite the struggles, Charlton and sophomore guard Rhema Pegues led the way offensively as one of six Lions to score from the field. With Jacksonville marching back, the lead remained at 56-42 for UNA.
FOURTH QUARTER: In what would be an eventful fourth quarter, both teams scored over 20 points as the Lions fended off the Dolphins' surge. Jacksonville would once again outscore the North Alabama in the quarter to the tune of 25-21, cutting the deficit to as little as five with under seven minutes remaining. Despite the output, big scoring quarters from Charlton (nine points) and India Howard (seven points) gave UNA the spark on offense to hold off the run. The Lions outscored the Dolphins 20-15 in the final seven minutes, earning North Alabama their fourth-straight win, 77-67.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
· 23 – First quarters continue to bode well for the Lions in the midst of their now four-game winning streak. UNA scored 23 points in the opening period on 44.4 percent shooting to take an early 11-point lead to the second period. North Alabama has averaged 18.5 points in the first period during the streak compared to the 8.5 by opponents.
· 48 – The Lions were a force on the boards all game, leading the rebounding battle 48-38 for their highest rebounding team total in conference play. Cruce led with a career-high 12 rebounds while Alyssa Clutter (8) and Howard (6) followed as UNA tallied their highest total since December 5, 2023 against Fisk (51).
· 22 – Howard had the best game of her young career with the Lions, finishing with a season-high 11 points on 5-7 shooting. The Coppell, Texas native's presence was felt on the defensive end as she sent back four blocks, also a career high.
· 40 – North Alabama's fast starts on both ends have proven a catalyst in the Lions success during their streak. UNA never trailed in the matchup against Dolphins, achieving the feat for the second straight 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 will begin a Florida road trip next week, facing off against Stetson and FGCU in the next two games. The Lions' first matchup against Stetson will be on Thursday, Feb. 8 in DeLand, Fla. with the game tipping off at 10 a.m. CST for fans following in the Shoals. and 11 a.m. EST.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
