JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The build-up and hype leading into the second edition of the River City Rumble lead to a fever pitch in a sold-out Swisher Gymnasium on Wednesday night, but Jacksonville University men's basketball was locked in from the opening tip.
 
The Dolphins (19-8, 10-4) scored the first 12 points of the game and never looked back, beating North Florida 71-39 in the most lopsided result in the history of the crosstown rivalry.
 
Kevion Nolan fed Osayi Osifo for a layup to get the scoring started, and the patented stifling defense held the Ospreys without a field goal until 6:35 into the game. UNF made a hook shot to cut it to eight with 13:50 to play in the first, but that is the closest they would get the rest of the game.
 
JU scored six straight to make it 20-6 Jacksonville halfway through the first half and the Dolphins pushed the lead to 20 when George Pridgett buried a three off of an offensive rebound with 3:29 left in the opening half to force a UNF called timeout. JU went into the break up 39-20.
 
The second half started much the way the first half did, with JU going on a 12-3 run over the first 6:39 of the second. The lead grew to as many as 35 points late in the second half, with the Dolphins rolling a season sweep of the Ospreys and cementing a 14-0 home regular season record.
 
UP NEXT
 
Jacksonville travels to Fort Myers, Fla. for its regular season finale against FGCU. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.

COACH'S COMMENTS

 

NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

• Jacksonville won its 14th straight game at Swisher Gym, breaking a tie and moving in to sole possession of the second-longest home winning streak in program history
• It was the fifth-straight win for Jacksonville, the first five-game winning streak since Jan. 23, 2016-Feb. 6, 2016
• The Dolphins held an opponent under 40 points for the first time since allowing on 37 to Dartmouth on Nov. 13, 2019
• It was the largest margin of victory for JU in ASUN play this year
• Osayi Osifo recorded his second career double-double, with 15 points and 10 rebounds. His first double-double came in the first matchup against North Florida
• Kevion Nolan had his ninth game of five or more assists this season