Thursday, January 19, 2006

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Thursday night offered a sweet ending and joyous new beginning for the North Florida men's basketball team.

Alain Laroche scored 23 points - one of four Ospreys in double figures - to help UNF snap a 10-game losing streak and pick up its first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference victory with a 95-84 win over Campbell at UNF Arena.

Freshman Ryan Daugherty added 18 points and eight rebounds for the Ospreys (4-12, 1-8 A-Sun), while Rashad Williams had 17 points and Chris Timberlake 12.

UNF shot 56 percent in the first half in stretching out to a 48-36 halftime lead, and never let Campbell get closer than five points in the second half in winning for the fourth time in six games at home this season.

"This win has been a long time coming," UNF head coach Matt Kilcullen said. "We've been in so many close games in the last month, and it was good to see us finally grab hold and pull one out. It wasn't easy, but I liked the way our guys competed and kept playing to the final buzzer. We found a way to get things done."