LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — The North Florida Ospreys snapped a two-game skid and found a much-needed road victory Thursday night, overwhelming the Bellarmine Knights with relentless defensive pressure en route to an 81-58 win in ASUN Conference women’s basketball at Knights Hall.

From the opening tip, North Florida established a defensive intensity that Bellarmine could not match. The Ospreys forced 24 Knights turnovers, converting them into 33 points, while committing just 15 of their own. North Florida’s 16 steals, led by four from freshman guard Alonya Waldon, stifled Bellarmine’s offensive flow and fueled a decisive transition game.

The contest was closer early, with Bellarmine’s Andrea Chiquemba connecting on three first-quarter three-pointers to keep pace. North Florida led 19-16 after one period but seized control with a dominant second quarter. The Ospreys held the Knights to just eight points in the frame, embarking on a 15-2 run that stretched a 22-20 lead into a 37-22 advantage. The surge was powered by Jamisyn Stinson, who scored 11 of her game-high 19 points in the first half, and a defense that forced Bellarmine into nine second-quarter turnovers.

The most important sequence of the game, which effectively broke it open, occurred late in the second quarter. With North Florida leading 22-20, Bellarmine committed turnovers on three consecutive possessions. The Ospreys capitalized each time, with Stinson scoring on a tip-in and a fast-break layup before Abby Knauff buried a three-pointer. The 7-0 spurt in just over a minute pushed the lead to nine and ignited the larger run that gave North Florida a commanding 34-24 halftime lead.

Bellarmine never recovered. The Ospreys extended their lead to 23 points after three quarters and led by as many as 28 in the fourth, allowing head coach to liberally substitute down the stretch.

While Stinson provided the scoring punch, the Ospreys’ backcourt orchestrated the win. Waldon, a 5-foot-5 guard from Melbourne, Florida, filled the stat sheet with nine points, four assists and four steals in just 15 minutes. Alexa Washington added 11 points and three assists. North Florida’s ball movement was superior, tallying 16 assists to Bellarmine’s three.

Bellarmine was led by Kayce Hyman’s 18 points, though the 5-foot-10 guard from Irmo, South Carolina, also accounted for nine of her team’s turnovers. Ava Smith added 15 points for the Knights, who shot just 41.7% from the field and 68.4% from the free-throw line.

North Florida improved to 7-11 overall, while Bellarmine fell to 2-18. The Ospreys shot 48.6% from the field but just 22.2% from three-point range, relying instead on their defense and a 44-28 advantage in points in the paint.

The Ospreys travel to face Eastern Kentucky on Saturday. Bellarmine will host Jacksonville the same day.