JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (January 16, 2025) – In Thursday's basketball game between North Alabama and Jacksonville, every possession mattered.
The two Atlantic Sun Conference foes traded the lead 17 times, but the Dolphins proved too tough to beat on their own court with a 64-60 win over the Lions inside Swisher Gymnasium in Jacksonville.
Neither team led by more than seven, but North Alabama (11-7, 3-2 ASUN) encountered that deficit at an untimely part of the game with 2:43 remaining. However, senior
Daniel Ortiz pulled the Lions back within one with 1:02 remaining with back-to-back three-pointers. Down 62-59, UNA had a chance to tie with 12 seconds to go, but were unable to connect on a pair of threes.
But this would not be the end.
With under three seconds to go down 62-59, UNA sent Jakari Spence to the line for Jacksonville (10-7, 4-1 ASUN). Spence missed the front end of a one-and-one, allowing fifth-year senior
Will Soucie to heave one up from three-quarters quart. ASUN Preseason Player of the Year Robert McCray fouled Soucie on the heave, allowing Soucie to go to the line for three. The first one missed, the second went in and the attempt to hit the rim and keep the game alive sailed just high, allowing JU to ice the battle.
The Dolpins have won 17 of their last 21 games inside Swisher Gym, dating back to last season.
UNA was led by four players in double figures, including junior
Jacari Lane with 15 points and a career-high seven rebounds. Lane also had seven rebounds last season at Austin Peay — 363 days ago.
Redshirt sophomore
Corneilous Williams finished with 12 points and four rebounds, while Soucie added 10 points and six boards. Ortiz had all four of UNA's three-pointers, scoring 13 points. He added nine rebounds — two short of a career high. Senior
Taye Fields added eight points and matched Ortiz with nine boards.
McCray led Jacksonville with 19 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half: The first half included seven lead changes, as Jacksonville took a 30-28 lead into the locker room. The two sides led for nearly identical times, as the Lions led for 8:51 of game time in the first half, and JU led for 8:53. Both teams made 11 baskets, but North Alabama was unable to sink a three-pointer while JU went 3-9. UNA scored 18 of the 28 points in the paint. The Lions were led by Lane with seven points in the first half.
Second Half: The lead changed 10 times in the second frame, as both teams eventually battled to a 50-50 tie with 6:32 remaining following a layup from Lane. Just prior to that, UNA took the lead at 46-45 with a de facto four-point possession on a layup from Lane and a steal and score by Fields in the backcourt. This play was assisted by
Donte Bacchus under the basket, as he dished to Fields on the save out of bounds. McCray powered Jacksonville to a seven-point lead later in the game, but Ortiz hit back-to-back three-pointers to keep UNA alive. JU only shot three free throws in the second half, but made the final two to ice the game.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- The 17 lead changes were the most for UNA in a game this season. The previous high was 10 lead changes against both UT Martin and FGCU.
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Tonight marked the first time this season UNA held an opponent under 70 points and lost. UNA was previously 11-0 when the opponent scored 70 or less.
- UNA shot a season-low from the floor, going 21-60 for 35 percent. Jacksonville was similar, going 26-66 for 39 percent.
- The Lions struggled from downtown, going 4-19 for 21 percent. This marked the second-lowest percentage of the season ahead of LMU in December. Jacksonville also had low volume scoring from behind the arc, going 5-19. Five is tied for the fewest three-pointers scored against UNA this season.
- Both teams went 78 percent from the line, as UNA went 14-18 and doubled Jacksonville at 7-9.
- Rebounding was fairly even between two of the top rebounding teams in the ASUN, as JU led 42-41. Both teams had 30 defensive boards.
- JU won the turnover battle 13-11.
- UNA owns a 6-4 advantage in the all-time series, dating back to 2019.
- Jacksonville has won the last two meetings by four points, including a similar 67-63 win last season.
COMING UP NEXT
UNA will stay in Jacksonville for one more game, as the Lions battle North Florida on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 1 p.m. CT.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
