JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (January 15, 2025) – The University of North Alabama men's basketball team will finish a four-game road stretch in Florida this week with a pair of battles in Atlantic Sun Conference headquarters.
 
The Lions open the week on Thursday against Jacksonville. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT in Swisher Gynmasium. On Saturday, the Lions will take on North Florida at 1 p.m. CT.
 
Both games will stream on ESPN+. Live stats are also available for both games.
 
GAME 1 INFORMATION
Game: North Alabama at Jacksonville
Date: Thursday, January 16
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: Jacksonville, Fla.
Venue: Swisher Gymnasium
Capacity: 1,360
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: SIDEARM
Game Notes: Click Here
Social Media: @UNA_Basketball
 
GAME 2 INFORMATION
Game: North Alabama at North Florida
Date: Saturday, January 18
Time: 1:00 p.m. CT
Location: Jacksonville, Fla.
Venue: UNF Arena
Capacity: 6,300
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: SIDEARM
Tickets: Click Here
Game Notes: Available Friday
Social Media: @UNA_Basketball
 
 
NOTES

LAST TIME OUT: Last Saturday, North Alabama completed its most lopsided win over an ASUN opponent since joining the league in 2018 with a 92-64 win over Stetson in DeLand, Fla. Reigning ASUN Player of the Week Taye Fields was the star with a double-double in the first 14 minutes. He finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block and 0 turnovers. UNA ended the first half on a 25-6 run and at one point led by 39 points in the second half.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS: North Alabama is 11-6 overall with a 3-1 record in league play. All three ASUN wins have come by double figures with an average win margin of 21.6 points. The only ASUN loss came at FGCU last Thursday, a competitive game than ended with 10 lead changes and a 75-70 result. The Lions have five players averaging double figures and lead the ASUN in conference scoring with 83.0 points per game. The Lions are also a top-three defense currently with 68.0 PPG allowed in ASUN play.
 
SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS: Jacksonville has made a splash in both non-conference play and in ASUN games, owning a 9-7 overall record and a 3-1 record in conference play. JU started with a 70-65 loss to Lipscomb, but has since won three straight over Austin Peay, Bellarmine and EKU. The Dolphins also own a marquee win over Virginia Tech and a home win over ETSU this season. ASUN Preseason Player of the Year Robert McCray V leads the way with 16.3 PPG overall and 17.8 PPG in conference play. JU is led by head coach Jordan Mincy in his fourth season. Last year, JU upset regular season champion EKU in the ASUN Tournament quarterfinal before falling in the semifinal round.
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. JU: The Lions are 6-3 against Jacksonville since entering the ASUN in 2019. Only three of the nine meetings took place in Jacksonville. The Dolphins won the last two meetings at home, as UNA seeks its first win in Swisher Gym since 2019. The last six meetings have been split, including an 80-62 win for UNA in 2023 and an 82-81 overtime win in 2021. Daniel Ortiz is averaging 14.5 PPG in two games against Jacksonville, while Lane is averaging 12.0 PPG in two meetings.
 
SCOUTING THE OSPREYS: North Florida earned a lot of national attention during non-conference play, starting 3-0 with wins over South Carolina, Charleston Southern and Georgia Tech. The Ospreys, now 8-9 overall, also defeated UNCG in the ASUN/SoCon challenge. North Florida will look to overcome a 1-3 start in league play following losses to Austin Peay, Lipscomb and EKU with a 98-83 win last time out against Bellarmine. UNF is third in ASUN scoring with 81.3 PPG and is led by Josh Harris at 14.5 PPG and Jasai Miles at 14.4 PPG. Head coach Matthew Driscoll is the second-longest tenured coach among ASUN members in his 16th season.
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. UNF: North Florida owns a 7-4 advantage in the all-time series since UNA joined the league in 2019. The Lions have won the last two meetings, including a 79-74 win last season and a 91-78 win in 2023. UNA has won each of the last two meetings in UNF Arena, as UNF looks for its first home win over UNA since 2021. In last year's meeting, Will Soucie scored a season-high 20 points.
 
TAYE DAY: Senior Taye Fields, a transfer from Division II Missouri Western State, is the reigning ASUN Player of the Week. His performance against Stetson was a memorable one, as he achieved a double-double just 14 minutes into the game. He finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, three steals, a block and zero turnovers against Stetson, while nearly pulling a triple-double at FGCU with nine points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
 
FIELD ANALYTICS: According to NBA Draft data analyst Nick Kalinowski, Fields is the fifth-most well-rounded player in all of NCAA basketball and the second-highest rated wing. His overall grade was an 83.75 behind Auburn's Johni Broome (86.77), Michigan's Danny Wolf (85.3), South Dakota State's Oscar Cluff (85.27) and Mississippi State's Cameron Matthews (84.97). Fields was 84th percentile among all wings in 13 tracked categories.
 
WATCH OUT FOR LANE: Junior guard Jacari Lane has won three ASUN Player of the Week awards this season, opening a strong case for ASUN Player of the Year and a spot on the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch List with 15.8 PPG and 4.3 APG. Lane is the only First Team All-ASUN selection from last season to return to the league this season.
 
HIGH VOLUME, HIGH SUCCESS: Senior guard Daniel Ortiz ranks ninth in the nation with 147 three-point attempts this season. He also ranks 25th in the NCAA with 51 made three-pointers to average 34.7 percent behind the arc.
 
WINNING THE BOARDS: Redshirt sophomore Corneilous Williams is the leading rebounder in the conference with 8.4 per game. His teammate, Taye Fields, is second in the league with 7.9 per game. In conference play, Fields is averaging a remarkable 12.3 RPG, while Williams averages 9.8 to rank second. UNA is the top ranked ASUN team with 41.5 rebounds per game in conference play.
 
MILESTONE MEN: Three Lions have met milestones this season, including Lane and Ortiz scoring their 1,000th career point at UNA during non-conference play. Another rare feat was accomplished against Charleston Southern, as Fields scored his 1,000th career point in his 100th career game. Soucie hopes to be next on this list with 945 points entering this week.

THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 70: UNA is 11-2 when scoring at least 70 points and 0-4 when scoring under 70 points. Defensively, the Lions have allowed under 70 points in all 11 wins and over 70 points in all six losses.

BALL PROTECTION: UNA ranks 11th in the nation with just 9.5 turnovers per game, while ranking 33rd with a +3.5 turnover margin. There are 355 teams included in these rankings. Also, in the first two games of ASUN play, former high school and current college teammates Jacari Lane and Taye Fields combined for 24 assists and just three turnovers. So far, they rank second and third in assist/turnover ratio in ASUN play.

LOU HENSON WATCH LIST: Junior guard Jacari Lane was named to the Lou Henson Award Early Watch List on November 19, which is an award presented annually to the top player in Mid-Major College Basketball.

ON DECK: UNA returns home next week for key games against Lipscomb and Austin Peay inside CB&S Bank Arena. The Lipscomb game is set for Thursday, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.