JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — In a matchup of teams seeking to climb out of the ASUN Conference basement, the North Florida Ospreys used a dominant defensive performance and a double-double from Alexa Washington to secure a 62-51 victory over the Queens Royals on Saturday at UNF Arena.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 640, saw both teams enter with identical 8-18 overall records. The Ospreys improved to 9-18, while the Royals fell to 9-18. The win completed a regular-season sweep for North Florida, which also defeated Queens 64-51 on Jan. 10.

North Florida never trailed, establishing control with a 15-7 first quarter. The Ospreys’ defense set the tone early, forcing six Queens turnovers in the opening period and holding the Royals to 3-of-15 shooting from the field. The Royals’ offensive struggles were a persistent theme; they shot just 32.3% for the game, including 20% from three-point range, and committed 17 turnovers.

The Ospreys extended their lead to 27-18 by halftime, but the Royals showed signs of life in the third quarter. A three-pointer from Jermany Mapp, who led all scorers with 21 points, capped a 7-2 Queens run that cut the deficit to 35-29 with 4:56 left in the period. North Florida responded immediately, however, with an 11-2 surge to close the quarter. The run was highlighted by a three-pointer from Jamisyn Stinson and a layup by Alexa Washington, pushing the Ospreys’ advantage to 44-31 entering the final frame.

Queens mounted its most serious challenge in the fourth quarter. Fueled by Mapp, who scored 11 of her points in the period, the Royals whittled the lead down to 51-46 with 4:55 remaining after a layup from Brenae Jones-Grant. The comeback attempt was ultimately undone by a critical sequence moments later. With the Ospreys leading 55-48, Queens’ Dayuna Colvin committed an offensive foul, her seventh turnover of the game. On the ensuing possession, North Florida’s Alonya Waldon found Stinson for a clutch three-pointer from the wing, stretching the lead back to 58-48 with 2:55 to play and effectively sealing the outcome.

The most important part of the game was North Florida’s decisive response to Queens’ fourth-quarter push. Just as the Royals had closed within five points and gained momentum, the Ospreys executed a decisive 7-0 run over a 90-second span. The sequence, sparked by a defensive stop and capped by Stinson’s three-pointer, extinguished Queens’ rally and restored a comfortable double-digit margin that would not be challenged again.

Washington, a 5-foot-6 guard from Monroeville, Pennsylvania, was the catalyst for North Florida, delivering a complete performance with 14 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals in 36 minutes. Her double-double provided crucial stability for the Ospreys. Waldon, a 5-5 guard from Melbourne, Florida, added 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. Stinson finished with 11 points, all in the second half, and Karyzma Pierre hauled in 12 rebounds to go with four points.

For Queens, Mapp’s 21-point effort on 9-of-22 shooting was the offensive bright spot. Magda Freire, a 5-8 guard from Lisbon, Portugal, contributed 14 points, six rebounds and three steals. Jones-Grant grabbed eight rebounds. The Royals’ defense was active, generating 14 steals and forcing 20 North Florida turnovers, but they could not overcome their own inefficient offense, which managed only 14 assists against their 17 giveaways.

North Florida shot 45.5% from the field but struggled from distance, making only 3 of 18 three-point attempts. The Ospreys outrebounded Queens 42-38 and scored 15 points off Royals turnovers.

The game was a defensive struggle for long stretches, with both teams combining for 37 turnovers and shooting under 33% from three-point range. North Florida’s ability to maintain its lead through Queens’ runs and capitalize on key late possessions proved the difference.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, North Florida entered the game with a 64.10 percent probability to win.

Queens returns home to face West Georgia on Tuesday. North Florida travels to face Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday.