North Florida has busy schedule, Jacksonville visits Pitt

UNF Guard Chaz Lanier Scores Career-High 28 Points

Last week, University of North Florida guard Chaz Lanier had an outstanding game, scoring a career-high of 28 points against the College of Charleston. The opening week of the 2023-24 season saw a mix of blowouts for First Coast four-year universities, with some teams easily winning their games, while others faced tougher opponents.

The Jacksonville University men’s team triumphed in a game, winning by 67 points, but faced a reality check while playing at Xavier. The JU Dolphins and the University of North Florida women’s teams experienced similar ups and downs, winning easily at home, but then losing to formidable in-state Power Five opponents.

The UNF men’s team, looking to rebuild, had an impressive start, securing two victories, one at home and one come-from-behind win on the road against another mid-major opponent.

Looking ahead, the JU men’s team has a challenging week with a tough home game and an even tougher away game. Meanwhile, UNF is set to play four games in six days, with three of those being played in a row, all at home. The UNF women’s team is heading across the country and will face one of the toughest in-state opponents.

Notable Performances

In the men’s division, Robert McCray V of Jacksonville University was recognized as the Player of the Week, scoring 34 points in two games, with an impressive shooting percentage of 57.7%. Josh Sabino of Orange Park had a highlight dunk for the Jacksonville University Dolphins.

Destin Clark, a sophomore guard at Flagler, put on an impressive performance, scoring 23 points, grabbing six rebounds, and providing three assists in a game against Anderson (S.C.), despite their team’s overtime loss.

This Week’s Games

The week ahead promises exciting games, with several matchups scheduled across the different universities.

Notable Teams

Highlighted UNF:
– Coach Matthew Driscoll pledged to maintain a strong focus on 3-pointers this season, with their first two games demonstrating their commitment to this strategy.
– Chaz Lanier had an outstanding performance, scoring a remarkable 28 points against Charleston Southern.

Highlighted JU:
– Bryce Workman had an impressive return to the game after missing the entire previous season due to a knee injury.
– The Dolphins are set to face a challenging opponent, Georgia Southern, this week.

Highlighted Edward Waters:
– First-year coach Howard White Jr., utilized 17 players in their opening game, highlighting their depth and versatility.

Highlighted Flagler:
– The Saints faced a tough loss against Anderson (S.C.) College, despite strong individual performances from several players.

In the women’s division, UNF’s freshman guard Alexa Washington displayed exceptional skills coming off the bench, scoring 31 points in two games. Jacksonville University’s guard Edyn Battle also shined in her first two games after transferring from Miami (Ohio), scoring an impressive 30 points.

This week’s matchups include a mix of tough challenges and exciting opportunities for all the women’s teams across the universities.

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