Women's Hoops Downs Mercer to Clinch Spot in Atlantic Sun Tournament

Thursday, February 16

Jacksonville, Fla.

7 pm

University of North Florida

-1116, 88 ASun

Mercer

-422, 212 ASun

Team	1	2	F
Mercer	26	23	49
North Florida	30	36	66

Photo by: JC Ridley

Women's Hoops Downs Mercer to Clinch Spot in Atlantic Sun Tournament

2/16/2012 9:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

Boxscore (PDF)
Complete Book

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Raneisha Lamar recorded her second-straight double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds and Taylor Smith added 13 points as the University of North Florida women's basketball team topped Mercer 66-49 on Thursday night at UNF Arena. The win clinched the Ospreys a berth to the General Shale Atlantic Sun Women's Basketball Championships.

Kim Baker recorded a career-high four steals for the Ospreys. UNF (11-16, 8-8 Atlantic Sun) was 43.1 percent from the floor on the night, going 25-for-58. The Ospreys were also 78.9 percent from the free throw line, making 15-for-19 shots. UNF dominated on the glass, pulling down 48 rebounds compared to Mercer's 33.

Alicia Williams led Mercer with 12 points, while Jasmine Blakemore had 10 points. Alicia Williams and Sharmesia Smith also had a team-best six rebounds. The Bears shot 31.3 percent (25-for-58).

The game started off low-scoring with Mercer holding an 11-10 lead at the 10:21 mark. However, UNF took the lead when Destinee Smith's jumper sparked a 14-2 run that resulted in the Ospreys going up 24-13 with 5:33 remaining. Mercer answered with a 9-2 spurt that brought the Bears to within four on an Alicia Williams three at 1:34. UNF got up to a six-point advantage twice in the final minute of the half, but Precious Bridges hit a jumper for Mercer at nine seconds as the two teams entered halftime with UNF up 30-26.

Mercer got the first five points of the second half to go up 31-30 at 18:39 as the two teams battled through the first part of the half. However, with the game tied at 41-41, Taylor Smith converted on a three-point play – making a layup, drawing the foul and making the foul shot – that sparked a 7-0 run that ultimately put UNF up 48-41 with 7:47 to go. The Ospreys started to pull away from the Bears, going up by 11 with a Lamar layup at 4;05 making it 56-45. Mercer made it a nine-point game with a Blakemore jumper, but that was the Bears' final points as UNF finished the game on a 10-0 run over the final 2:42.

UNF closes out the home portion of its schedule on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., when the Ospreys host Kennesaw State in their home finale. Prior to the game, UNF will recognize its graduating team members.