JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — In a stunning second-half reversal, the North Florida Ospreys erased a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 76-70 in an ASUN Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at UNF Arena.

The game pivoted dramatically after halftime. The visiting Eagles, who led 36-27 at the break, saw their offensive rhythm vanish while the Ospreys, energized by a decisive 49-point second half, surged ahead for good in the final minutes.

North Florida’s comeback was fueled by a combination of clutch shot-making and a significant advantage at the free-throw line. The Ospreys attempted 26 free throws, making 21, compared to Florida Gulf Coast’s 19 attempts and 14 makes. In a game where both teams struggled from the field—Florida Gulf Coast shot 37.3% and North Florida 39.7%—those extra points proved critical.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final minute, with North Florida clinging to a narrow lead. After Florida Gulf Coast’s Michael Duax converted a layup to cut the deficit to 74-70 with 35 seconds left, the Ospreys’ Kent Jackson was fouled. The Jacksonville native calmly sank both free throws with seven seconds remaining, pushing the lead back to six points and effectively sealing the outcome. Those free throws capped a night where North Florida outscored Florida Gulf Coast by seven from the charity stripe, the exact margin of victory.

JR Konieczny of Florida Gulf Coast delivered a standout performance in a losing effort. The 6-foot-7 junior from South Bend, Indiana, scored a game-high 31 points on 11-of-24 shooting, adding three assists in 38 minutes. His first-half efforts were instrumental in building the Eagles’ lead.

But North Florida had its own offensive catalyst in Kamrin Oriol. The sophomore guard from St. Petersburg responded to the second-half urgency, scoring 20 of his 26 points after intermission. He attacked consistently, finishing 8-of-19 from the floor and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, while also dishing out three assists.

Dalton Gayman provided crucial secondary scoring for the Ospreys. The 6-foot-7 forward from Nevada, Missouri, added 15 points, with 13 coming in the second half, and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the line. His interior presence helped North Florida weather Florida Gulf Coast’s early physicality.

Despite the loss, Florida Gulf Coast demonstrated tenacious defense, forcing 11 North Florida turnovers while committing only four of their own. The Eagles also recorded eight steals and five blocks, with Isaiah Malone of Lagrange, Indiana, swatting three shots. Malone added eight points and was a key part of the first-half defensive effort that stymied the Ospreys.

Supporting Konieczny for the Eagles were Darren Williams, who scored 12 points, and Michael Duax, who added 11. The Eagles also dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 12 rebounds to North Florida’s seven, but could not convert those extra chances sufficiently, shooting just 6-of-27 from three-point range.

For North Florida, Kent Jackson finished with 11 points and BJ Plummer added 10, with both hitting key shots during the comeback. The Ospreys shot 9-of-32 from beyond the arc, but timely makes, including two from Plummer in the second half, helped spread the floor for Oriol’s drives.

The victory improved North Florida’s season record to 7-23 overall. The Ospreys, who entered the game with a Interstat ELO projection giving them just a 28.9% chance to win, snapped a five-game losing streak. Florida Gulf Coast fell to 14-16, seeing a three-game winning streak end in a game where they led for over 30 minutes but could not withstand the home team’s closing push.

The game’s total of 146 points fell well under the over/under line of 161, a testament to the defensive stretches from both teams, particularly in a disjointed first half. Attendance was 2,156.

Both teams conclude their regular seasons on Saturday. North Florida will host Jacksonville, while Florida Gulf Coast travels to face Stetson.