West Georgia at North Florida
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — A surging West Georgia looks to continue its climb in the ASUN standings when it visits a struggling North Florida team in a women’s basketball rematch Saturday at UNF Arena.
The Wolves (14-7, 7-3 ASUN) have won five of their last seven games and enter on the heels of a dominant 69-39 victory over Bellarmine last Saturday. West Georgia’s defense has been a catalyst, holding opponents to an average of 56.2 points during its recent successful stretch.
Guard Asia Donald has been a consistent offensive force for the Wolves. She is coming off a 14-point, four-rebound, four-assist performance against Bellarmine and has scored in double figures in five of her last seven outings, including an 18-point effort in a Jan. 29 loss to Eastern Kentucky.
The Ospreys (8-13, 3-7), meanwhile, seek to halt a slide that has seen them lose four of their last five contests. Their most recent outing was a 73-65 road loss at Lipscomb, despite a 23-point performance from guard Jamisyn Stinson. Stinson has provided a bright spot for North Florida, averaging 18.4 points over her last five games, including a 23-point outburst at Lipscomb.
This matchup is a quick turnaround from a Jan. 8 meeting in Carrollton, Georgia, where West Georgia secured a 76-61 victory. The Wolves used balanced scoring and forced 18 turnovers in that win.
For North Florida, reversing that result will require finding consistent offense beyond Stinson and improving a defense that allows a conference-worst 74.2 points per game in ASUN play. West Georgia will aim to control the tempo with its defensive pressure and exploit its advantage in the paint, where it outrebounded the Ospreys 42-31 in the first meeting.
Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville. The Wolves will look to solidify their position near the top of the conference, while the Ospreys desperately seek a home win to rebuild momentum for the final stretch of the season.