Dolphins Escape with 77-68 Win Over Ospreys

JACKSONVILLE -- In front of a record attendance at UNF Arena, the North Florida basketball team saw their three-game win streak over crosstown rival Jacksonville snapped Friday night in a tough 77-68 loss.

In true rivalry fashion, the game was tied 11 times and featured five lead changes with neither squad holding larger than a five-point edge until the closing minute when the Dolphins made several free throws to earn the final margin. The raucous crowd of 4,018 were treated to some hot shooting from both teams as UNF (8-12, 3-4 ASun) and JU (10-10, 5-2) both finished the game at 50 percent shooting.

Parker Smith led the way for the Ospreys scoring 19 points including four three pointers. Travis Wallace added 13 points and a team best six rebounds. Will Wilson collected his league leading fifth double-digit assist total finishing with 11 on the night. Wilson along with Charles McRoy and BaeBae Daniels each scored eight points in the contest.

Javon Dawson finished with 17 points to pace the Dolphins who also got a 14-point, eight-rebound effort from Glenn Powell and 14 points by Keith McDougald.

With the victory JU improves to 5-2 in the league and 10-10 overall while maintaining a tie for the Atlantic Sun lead with Stetson. The Dolphins now hold a 14-4 lead in the all-time series. UNF falls to 3-4 A-Sun and 8-12 overall.

Senior forward Glenn Powell (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) scored 10 of his 14 points and junior guard Keith McDougald (Jacksonville, Fla.) had eight of his 14 points and in a second half that saw the Dolphins shoot a season best 60.9 percent (14-23) from the field. Powell added a team best eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

Junior Javon Dawson (Cordele, Ga.) had a team best 17 points on 7-10 from the field. Dawson, who also had six rebounds, kept JU in the game in the first half scoring 13 points in 13 minutes of action.