FLORENCE, Ala. (January 25, 2025) – Saturday's basketball game between North Alabama and Austin Peay was full of fireworks, but clutch scoring and a pair of crucial defensive plays from a trio of Lions led to a thrilling 88-84 overtime victory for UNA in front of a sold-out crowd inside CB&S Bank Arena.
 
Riding the momentum of a win over Atlantic Sun Conference preseason favorite Lipscomb on Thursday, the Lions (14-7, 6-2 ASUN) led most of the way against Austin Peay — the same team that eliminated UNA in the semifinal round last season.
 
However, a go-ahead and-one layup by Austin Peay's Sai Witt put the Govs (8-13, 3-5 ASUN) ahead 74-72 in the final minute. This was APSU's first lead in over 13 minutes.
 
Enter Jacari Lane.
 
The junior guard and reigning first team all-conference selection had the ball with 10 seconds to go and drove the lane, banking in a layup to tie the game. Austin Peay's leading scorer, Isaac Haney, had the final attempt of regulation, but his potential game-winner was swatted away by Corneilous Williams at the horn. At 84-84, UNA went to overtime for the second time this season.
 
Once again, enter Jacari Lane.
 
The Huntsville native sank the first points of overtime — a triple at the four-minute mark. UNA never trailed again, though Haney made it 82-81 with 51 seconds to go. Lane got to the line twice on the next two possessions and extended the lead to 85-81. After that, Will Soucie stole a pass near mid-court and was fouled, extending the lead to 86-81.
 
The final 10 seconds were jam-packed, as Haney hit a stellar three-pointer to make it 86-84. UNA sank both free throws at the other end and had a block from Taye Fields on the final possession.
 
The game story could not be written without senior guard Daniel Ortiz — the player who made the final free throws to ice the game. Ortiz led the team with a season-high 28 points, including five triples. He also matched his career-best night at the line, going a perfect 7-7.
 
Rebounding played a massive role for UNA with a 57-36 advantage on the boards — a new season-high. Fields scored 10 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for a monster day on the boards. Williams had 12 rebounds, while Soucie had nine. Soucie also scored 14 points for a near double-double.
 
Defensively, UNA blocked 11 shots for a new Division I school record. Williams broke the individual Division I school record with six, while Fields swatted four.
 
Austin Peay was led by Haney with 28 points to match Ortiz.
 
The win moves UNA into a three-way tie for second in the league standings with FGCU and Lipscomb at 6-2 behind Jacksonville at 7-1. Austin Peay sits in a tie for eighth with North Florida at 3-5.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

First Half: Daniel Ortiz set the tone with a second-chance and-one layup early in the game. He and Lane scored the first 11 points to build an early lead. However, Haney and the Govs took their first lead at the 15:46 mark, but it did not last long as the Lions went ahead 22-12 at the 12:13 mark. Ahead 30-29 heading to the final four minutes, Soucie got the crowd involved with a clutch triple set up by Fields. Fields had the next four points for UNA, then Lane ended the scoring at 40-33 at the break. Lane and Ortiz combined for 23 in the half, while UNA had a 30-14 rebounding advantage.
 
Second Half: Despite trailing by seven at the break, Austin Peay shifted the lead with 13:51 remaining on a triple from freshman Tate McCubbin — the reigning ASUN Newcomer of the Week. UNA got back in control, but only had one moment in the second half where it led by double digits after a Soucie three at the 5:28 mark. APSU began its remarkable comeback with scoring plays from Haney and teammate Sai Witt, who nearly fouled out in regulation before a controversial charging call was overturned. This set up the final minute of drama, where Lane tied the game in the final six seconds and Williams stuffed the potential game-winner under the goal.
 
Overtime: Lane and Haney went toe-to-toe in overtime, combining for 15 of the 24 points scored in the frame by both teams. However, Lane was the hero with timely scoring, while Fields grabbed four overtime rebounds and blocked the final shot. Ortiz went 4-4 at the line in overtime, as UNA never fell behind.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• UNA had 30 rebounds in the first half. Austin Peay had 36 the entire game.

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• The 57 rebounds were a season-high and the most since pulling in 65 against Crowley's Ridge on December 17, 2020.

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  The 11 blocks broke the previous Division I school record of nine set last season against Lipscomb on February 15, 2024.

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  UNA attempted 77 shots for a new season high, shooting 37.7 percent. APSU went 31-70 for 44.3 percent.

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  Both teams shot 9-33 behind the arc for 27.3 percent. 

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  Taye Fields was one short of a career-high in rebounds, as well as one short of the UNA Division I record of 19 set by Emanuel Littles against Crowley's Ridge in 2020.

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  Tonight marked UNA's first overtime win since February 18, 2023 at EKU. UNA had previously dropped the last four overtime games, including UT Martin, Kansas State and Austin Peay last season and Samford this season.

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  Tonight snaps a three-game skid against Austin Peay, all of which happened last season. The teams will play again on February 5 inside F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville.

 
COMING UP NEXT

The Lions hit the road on Wednesday to battle Queens in Charlotte, N.C. The following Saturday, UNA will host Central Arkansas at 7:45 p.m.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.