FLORENCE, Ala. (January 18, 2025) – The University of North Alabama women's basketball team made it two wins in a row inside CB&S Bank Arena on Saturday, defeating the North Florida Ospreys 65-54.
Coming off a solid win in "The Bank" against Stetson two days prior, North Alabama (9-8, 4-2 ASUN) continued its winning ways with a second-straight win in Atlantic Sun Conference play. A slow start for both teams in the first half gave way to a second-half spark for UNA, using a key third quarter to push past the Ospreys. North Florida continues to look for its first win in ASUN play, moving to 4-15 overall and 0-6 in the conference.
The two teams played to a defensive stalemate in the first half, shooting almost identical field-goal percentages at roughly 34 percent. The Lions won the third quarter by an eight-point margin, using an early run with efficient shooting numbers on the offensive end. UNA scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to hold the lead for good.
North Alabama was sparked by its senior leaders, as graduate Sara Wohlgemuth led the Lions with a 16-point performance. Wohlgemuth was an efficient 6-11 from the field, while also contributing four rebounds, three assists and two steals. She was one point shy of a career high.
Senior Charity Gallegos also thrived alongside Wohlgemuth, securing 11 points, three assists and one rebound. Junior India Howard nabbed a second-straight double-double, finishing with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Howard now extends her double-double tally to four on the season.
The Lions' have been one of the top teams in the country in rebounding, and tonight proved no different as it was key in the second half spark. Two UNA players finished with double-digit rebounds, as junior Jazzy Klinge secured 11 rebounds for a season high. Klinge also had solid contributions all night, securing eight points, two assists, two blocks and a steal for a near double-double.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER: UNF 14, UNA 13
Both teams made impacts on the defensive end early, with the Ospreys taking the slight advantage to kick off the contest. North Alabama had six different scorers to start the period, combining for five made shots while 3-4 from the free-throw line. The Lions held North Florida to 37.5 percent shooting.
SECOND QUARTER: UNA 27, UNF 27
A second-straight defensive quarter sent the teams tied at 27 into the halftime break. North Alabama remained steady in scoring, adding six-made shots to its tally while hitting its first two threes of the game. UNA also locked down defensively, forcing North Florida into 28.6 percent shooting and 33.3 percent from deep. Sara Wohlgemuth had five points in the frame and nine at the break.
THIRD QUARTER: UNA 51, STET 43
The Lions received an offensive spark to start the second half, knocking down over half their shots to take back the lead. North Alabama used a 7-0 run to start with the momentum. UNA's offense improved from 34.4 percent shooting in the first half to an efficient 54.5 percent while 1-1 from three and 4-4 from the charity stripe. Charity Gallegos was the offensive catalyst for UNA, scoring seven points in the period.
FOURTH QUARTER: UNA 65, UNF 54
UNA not only maintained the lead, but extended it to double digits in the final quarter. UNA's key to the quarter was offensive rebounding, grabbing seven in the period which led to 12 second-chance points. Jazzy Klinge was busy keeping offensive possessions going, leading with three in the quarter alone. The extra possessions gave the Lions much needed momentum with the Ospreys attempting to rally in the fourth. Despite North Florida's comeback attempt, UNA's defense proved stout by forcing the Ospreys into 31.3 percent shooting in the quarter.
UP NEXT
North Alabama starts the first of a two-game road swing on Thursday, Jan. 23, facing Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tenn. at 6 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
