FLORENCE, Ala. (February 13, 2025) – All five starters for North Alabama reached double figure scoring on Thursday night, as the Lions used a balanced effort on both ends to soar past North Florida by an 83-70 final inside CB&S Bank Arena in Florence.
The Lions remain atop the Atlantic Sun Conference at 18-8 overall and 10-3 in conference play. The 18 wins and 10 conference wins match the most wins in seven years at the Division I level with five regular season games remaining.
Facing the highest volume three-point shooting team in the nation, UNA limited North Florida (13-13, 6-7 ASUN) to just 8-33 behind the arc. The Ospreys, who lead the ASUN in scoring, were held 14 points below their season average and to their third-lowest scoring total of the season.
The Lions also dominated the boards with a 53-30 advantage, including 21-9 on the offensive glass.
Junior
Jacari Lane had a game-high 21 points with seven assists, three rebounds and a block. This marked the eighth time this season Lane has scored 20 or more points. His backcourt running mate, senior
Daniel Ortiz, notched 18 points with four triples. Lane played 39 minutes, while Ortiz played 37.
The top two rebounders in the ASUN performed to the standard on Thursday, as redshirt sophomore
Corneilous Williams and senior
Taye Fields each had 14 rebounds for double-doubles. Williams scored 12 points, while Fields added 10. The duo combined for five blocks, including three from Williams.
Fifth-year senior
Will Soucie rounded out the starters with a steady 12-point performance.
UNF was led by Nate Lliteras with 20 points.
For the third straight game, UNA took the first lead and never trailed. UNA led for all but the first 25 seconds of the game and never went into a tie at any point. The Lions led by double figures for all of the final 11 minutes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half: Corneilous Williams won the tip in emphatic fashion, swatting the ball with full force to the UNA backcourt. Just 25 seconds into the game,
Jacari Lane connected on a three-pointer. This led to a 10-3 lead for the Lions in the first three minutes. UNF got back within two possessions on three occasions, but never got closer than a five-point margin after the first two minutes. Seven Lions scored in the half, including four points from
DarKaun King in just three minutes.
Daniel Ortiz led with nine points on just one triple, doing most of his work inside the arc.
Second Half: Lane came alive in the second half with 14 points and four assists, leading the Lions to a dominant win. Ortiz was also instrumental with a two-minute heat check midway into the second half, including a triple at the 11:07 mark to make it 59-47 and to put the margin at double digits for good. He also made back-to-back threes to make it 65-48 at the 9:41 mark.
Donte Bacchus had the final four points for UNA in the closing two minutes to put it on ice.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- UNA limited North Florida to 70 points, which ties their third-lowest scoring total of the season along with last Saturday's game against FGCU. The only teams to hold UNF to less points is Florida (45) and Lipscomb (64).
- This is only the sixth time in 26 games this season UNF has hit less than 10 threes in a game.
- UNA has now had 100 occasions this season of a player scoring double figures. Lane leads the clubhouse with 22 games in double figures, followed by Ortiz and Soucie with 17 apiece. Nine Lions have accomplished this at least twice.
- The 53 rebounds were the second-most this season and just four short of a season-high set against Austin Peay at home.
- The six blocks were tied for the third-most in a game this season. The other two were both games against Austin Peay.
- Tonight was the ninth-straight game where UNA had at least four players in double figures. This is the first of the nine games with five, including all five starters.
- UNA had a 17-2 advantage in second chance points.
- 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.
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80 - Anytime the Lions score 80 or more points, fans who attended the game can go to Rosie's Cantina in Downtown Florence to get a free cup of queso. Fans must show proof of attendance to retrieve.
- 60 - Anytime the Lions score 60 or more points, fans can head to Culver's on Cloverdale Road to retrieve a free single scoop of custard by using the online code "CUSTARD4LIONS" as part of the "Swish for a Dish" promotion.
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions are back in action Saturday at 1 p.m. against Jacksonville inside CB&S Bank Arena. Both teams are 10-3 and tied for first place in the ASUN heading into Saturday.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
