The North Florida Ospreys plummeted in a 72-59 loss against the UCA women’s basketball team Feb. 8.
UCA (17-6, ASUN 11-1) fast-tracked the ball at the top of the first quarter, only for senior guard Jade Upshaw to slip up the opportunity, missing a jump shot from in the paint.
The Ospreys (4-21, ASUN 0-12) quickly capitalized on the Sugar Bears’ fumbled shot, bagging a 3-pointer from senior guard Jazmine Spencer only 33 seconds into the game.
By the end of the game, UCA and UNF both scored five 3-pointers, however, the Sugar Bears made 25 3-point attempts while the Ospreys took 21.
27 seconds later the Sugar Bears shot back with a tip-in from sophomore forward Elizabeth Abiara, putting UCA a point behind North Florida.
The Sugar Bears and Ospreys would continue to push against each other, remaining in a one-to-three-point deficit until Spencer scored the Ospreys their second 3-pointer, pushing North Florida ahead 12-6.
The Ospreys almost ended the first quarter with an 8-point lead following two free throws from junior forward Nia Brown, yet the Sugar Bears wouldn’t go down without one last goal, as sophomore guard Cheyanne Kemp landed UCA its first 3-pointer of the night with just barely a minute remaining.
UNF ended the first quarter head of the Sugar Bears 14-9.
In the first 20 seconds of the second quarter, Kemp scored again, pushing UCA ahead by 2 points with a jump shot in the paint.
The Sugar Bears tied up the game only 25 seconds later when Upshaw scored the Sugar Bears their second 3-pointer of the afternoon, 14-14.
The Ospreys would attempt to stay close to UCA until the Sugar Bears snagged another 3-point basket from Kemp and a fastbreak layup by Abiara, 21-16.
Senior guard Leah Mafua pushed the Sugar Bears ahead by 10 points after bagging 5 points in only 11 seconds, including two layups and a free throw.
A jump shot from Spencer would put the Ospreys 8 points behind, yet the Sugar Bears quickly bumped the point deficit to 11 following another layup and free throw from Mafua.
UNF and UCA continued to pass the ball back and forth, the Sugar Bears staying 7 to 9 points ahead until freshman guard Jamisyn Stinson landed a 3-pointer in the final second of the first half, putting the Ospreys close behind UCA 33-29.
Both teams came out of the gates swinging at the top of the second half, trading free throws, lay ups, jump shots and 3-pointers in a minute. Three and a half minutes into the third quarter the Sugar Bears escaped the score frenzy, pulling ahead by 9 points with two layups and a free throw from Upshaw, 43-34.
The Ospreys would once again close in on the Bears after a 3-pointer from Spencer, a free throw from junior guard Sarah Taub and a layup by freshman forward Nicole Carreno.
However, the Sugar Bears would respond with a slew of points from Mafua, Upshaw and senior guard Randrea Wright, as UCA would secure a 12-point lead with less than a minute and a half remaining in the third quarter.
The Ospreys would snatch up the final points of the quarter with a free throw and layup from Spencer, the Sugar Bears still ahead 55-46.
UNF would open up the final quarter with one last surge of points, coat-tailing the Sugar Bears by 5 points after three layups.
The Sugar Bears would continue to lead the game, even hitting a game-high lead by 16 points following a layup from senior guard Kinley Fisher.
With less than a minute remaining the Ospreys would snatch up three more points before the clock struck zero, handing the win to UCA, 72-59.
Now on a 10-game win streak, the Sugar Bears will face the roar of the North Alabama Lions at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12, in the Farris Center, then go on to battle against the Austin Peay Governors at 1 p.m. Feb. 15, also in the Farris Center.