JACKSONVILLE (January 14, 2026) – The University of North Alabama women's basketball team continues Atlantic Sun Conference road play this week with matchups at North Florida and Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Fla.
The Lions return to Florida for their lone season bouts against the Ospreys and Dolphins. North Alabama opens at North Florida on Thursday, Jan. 15 before concluding at Jacksonville on Saturday, Jan. 17.
North Alabama tips off against the Ospreys in UNF Arena at 6 p.m. CT. UNA continues the weekend at Jacksonville in Swisher Gymnasium at 1 p.m. CT. Both games will be available for streaming on ESPN+ and have live stats provided by SIDEARM.
Tickets against North Florida are available for purchase through the school's ticket office. The contest between North Alabama and Jacksonville is free of charge to all spectators.
Full results and a recap will be posted on RoarLions.com following each game, but fans can also follow along in real time on the UNA Women's Basketball social media pages.
GAME 1 INFO
Game: North Alabama at North Florida
Date: Thursday, January 15
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Jacksonville, Fla.
Venue: UNF Arena
Tickets: Click Here
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: SIDEARM
Social Media: @UNAwbb
GAME 2 INFO
Game: North Alabama at Jacksonville
Date: Saturday, January 17
Time: 1 p.m. CT
Location: Jacksonville, Fla.
Venue: Swisher Gymnasium
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: SIDEARM
Social Media: @UNAwbb
NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: UNA split its opening ASUN home contests in bouts vs. EKU and Bellarmine. The Lions narrowly fell to the conference-leading Colonels, 80-78, but produced its best team offensive performance of the season. North Alabama rebounded with a 67-52 triumph over Bellarmine to claim its eighth-straight win over the Knights.
GIVE IT UP FOR GABBY!: Freshman Gabby Jackson was named the ASUN's Women's Basketball Freshman of the Week on Monday, Jan. 12. Jackson landed UNA's first individual conference honor of the season with career outings against EKU and Bellarmine. Against the Colonels, she had an all-around performance including a career-high 21 points on 9-13 shooting. She also totaled the team-high in rebounds (7) and team and career-high in assists (6). The Kansas City, Mo. native continued against the Knights with 13 points and 12 rebounds for her first career double-double.
SCOUTING UNA: The Lions' offense is led by a 39.1 percent shooting percentage. UNA has a slight advantage against opponents in shooting percentage – limiting opponents to 38.9 percent shooting. The team additionally holds advantages in rebounding (587-575) with a significant advantage in assists (206-160). North Alabama also paces teams in offensive rebounding (194-171) and blocks (53-48).
SCOUTING NORTH FLORIDA: The Ospreys enter the weekend tied with a 6-9 overall record and 1-3 ASUN record. The last weekend saw North Florida go 1-1 with a 64-51 road win against Queens on Jan. 10. The Ospreys are one of the conference's best free-throw shooting teams at 71.8 percent — second in the ASUN. Alonya Waldon leads North Florida in scoring at 10.1 points per game. Leading the Ospreys in her third season is Erika Lambert.
SERIES HISTORY: North Alabama leads the all-time series over North Florida, 8-5. UNA swept the season series in 2024-25, most recently defeating North Florida in Jacksonville, 73-68, on Feb. 6, 2025. The Lions have won five of the past six meetings against the Ospreys.
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE: The Dolphins begin a two-game home stand sporting a 10-5 record and a 2-2 ASUN record. The second weekend in conference play resulted in a 1-1 weekend, taking a 91-40 road win at Queens on Jan. 8. Jacksonville leads the ASUN in total steals (147) and steals per game (9.80), also ranking second in turnover margin (+4). Tatum Brown is second in the conference steals per game at two. Priscilla Williams is the leading scorer at 13.6 PPG – good for seventh in ASUN. Special Jennings leads the Dolphins in her third season.
SERIES HISTORY: The Lions hold a 10-2 series advantage over the Dolphins. The teams split meetings in 2024-25 with UNA claiming a 73-57 win in CB&S Bank Arena on Jan. 4, 2025. North Alabama have won seven of the last eight in the series.
SOFIA SHINES: Ceppellotti continues her breakout campaign with a team-leading 11.2 points per game average. She also leads the team with a 5.4 rebounding average. The sophomore is tied for 10th in three-pointers made per game (1.5), tied for 15th in rebounding and tied for 16th in scoring in the ASUN as of Jan. 12.
RIGHT UP HER ALLEY: Alvarado averages 10.7 points per game, totaling a team-leading 161 points this season. She is also UNA's three-pointers made leader with 28. She is tied for fifth in the ASUN in three-pointers made per game (1.9 per game), 16th in assists per game (2.5) and 19th in the ASUN in scoring average. Defensively, Alvarado is tied for 21st in steals per game (1.2).
GABBY GETS IT!: Jackson is the team leader in total rebounds with 91 for a 6.1 average. She has had at least seven rebounds in seven games this season with a high 13 at Tennessee State on Nov. 19. The Kansas City, Mo. native is tied for 11th in the ASUN in rebounds per game.
BUKKY BUCKETS: Graduate Bukky Akinsola has shown veteran leadership in multiple parts of the game. Averaging 7.5 points per game, Akinsola has made her mark in the playmaking and defense category. She has the team-high in total assists (39) while second in steals (13). Akinsola is tied for third in the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.6), sixth in assists per game (3.5 per game), and 11th in steals per game (1.5).
VENLA THE VERSATILE: Sophomore Venla Ulander has been making strides in her first season of action for UNA. She averages 4.5 points per game this season, exploding for her first career double-double with 21 points with 10 rebounds against Samford on Dec. 7, 2025.
NOTHING EASY: North Alabama gets it done on the defensive end with four players ranked in the ASUN's blocked shots leaderboard. Senior India Howard ranks tied for eighth at 0.9 per game while Ceppellotti and junior Katie Criswell are tied for 15th with 0.7 per game. Senior Jazzy Klinge is tied for 22nd at 0.6.
SECOND-UNIT STARS: UNA ranks third in the conference and 96th nationally in the bench points at 22.9 per game. Key contributors include Jackson leading the second unit at 6.5 PPG. Other key contributors include Howard (5.9 PPG) along with senior Alyssa Clutter (4.8 PPG) and Ulander (4.5 PPG).
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