The University of North Florida's men's basketball team had its winning streak of three games snapped at the University of South Carolina Aiken 77-71 Jan. 30, but rebounded with an 86-85 victory over Lander University Feb. 2 at the UNF Arena. "We weren't as sharp as we needed to be on the road," said head coach Matt Kilcullen. UNF (10-10, 7-6 Peach Belt Conference) is now 8-3 at home and 2-7 on the road.

"Freshmen at home are a little different than freshmen on the road," Kilcullen said. After the team held PBC leading-scorer Clint Keown to 16 points Jan. 23 at the UNF Arena, Keown erupted for 31 points in the win for the Pacers (8-10, 4-7 PBC). "He [Keown] made some great shots," Kilcullen said. "We ran guys at him, we rotated guys too. The shots he didn't make here, he made there." Guard Koran Godwin, senior, led the Ospreys with 17 points, while Donny Lotz added 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Aiken shot .542 in the second half, while UNF managed only .400. UNF returned for homecoming and had five players score in double figures in its victory over Lander. "They [Lander] were big and strong inside, and posted up very well," Kilcullen said. "Our kids through adversity hung in there." UNF shot .574 from the floor and dished 21 assists compared to eight turnovers. In its 10 wins, UNF has had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.16 to 1 (178-153), while in its 10 losses the ratio is .643 to 1 (128-199).

UNF led 40-37 at the half, and never trailed in the second half, opening up leads of seven points multiple times in the half, including a 79-72 lead with 1:29 remaining after a pair on free throws by Lotz. UNF was 6-6 in the final 30 seconds at the free-throw line. "I knew this game would come down to free throws," said sophomore guard Justin Bridges. Bridges scored 12 for UNF in the game. LU fought back, as Adrian Penland scored three three-point baskets within the final minute, but could draw no closer than one point to UNF. Penland shot 7-11 from three-point range in the game, leading all scorers with 31 points.

"We were just going to let him shoot and not foul him [at the end of the game]," said forward Alex Novitchkov, senior. "A win is a win." The Ospreys will go on the road for their next two games, facing Armstrong Atlantic State University Feb. 6 and the University of South Carolina Spartanburg Feb. 9. The team will return for a home date Feb. 13 versus Armstrong Atlantic.