JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville men's basketball team (7-12, 2-4 ASUN) concluded its second conference road trip of the season, delivering its most complete team performance with improved showings against Central Arkansas (9-10, 4-2 ASUN) on Thursday and North Alabama (6-11, 1-5 ASUN) on Saturday.
After opening the trip with a narrow setback at Central Arkansas, 62-60 after holding a 15-point lead, the Dolphins responded with a statement performance two days later at North Alabama. Jacksonville showed noticeable growth on both ends of the floor over the two-game stretch.
Headlining both games was the standout performance by true freshman guard Hayden Wood. In his return to his home state against the Bears, Wood collected a team-high 18 points and grabbed six rebounds. He converted six of his 15 field goal attempts and knocked down four three-pointers. Following thtat up on Saturday, Wood set a new career high with 25 points. The sharpshooter went six-of-seven from beyond the arc, an impressive 85.7% shooting mark. His six made three-pointers are tied for fifth-most in ASUN during conference play this season, and his accuracy ranked as the seventh highest.
Over the past four games, Wood has averaged 30.8 minutes, 16 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest. He has also made 14 three-pointers while shooting 50% from beyond the arc. The freshman's emergence as a scoring threat has positioned the Dolphins to compete at the top level in the ASUN moving forward.
Another standout true freshman for the Dolphins has been guard Evan Sterck. In both games this past week, the St. Louis native averaged 35 minutes and totaled 20 points on 44.4% shooting from the field. He also contributed nine rebounds and seven assists. Sterck has taken on the role of the Dolphins' primary ball handler this season and has quickly earned the confidence of his coaches in a short time at Jacksonville.
Both Wood and Sterck have emerged as top freshmen in the ASUN Conference. After Jacksonville's 90-68 win against the Lions, sophomore guard Chirs Lockett Jr. advocated for his teammates, stating that Wood was "Freshman of the Year" and that he "can't wait to see it."
Jacksonville benefited from significant contributions by two big men on Saturday as well after starting forward Jason Thirdkill Jr. picked up two early fouls against the Lions. Charles Caporaso and Allen Udemadu stepped up when the Dolphins needed them most, combining for 28 minutes, 25 points, 12 rebounds and three assists. The pair also shot an impressive 11-of-14 from the field. Caporaso added two key blocks against North Alabama for good measure.
Before last week, the duo had only combined for 18 points through the first four conference games. Both players set new conference highs in minutes and points, proving themselves as viable options for the remainder of the Dolphins' conference slate. In his postgame on-court interview, Wood credited the bigs for the team's offensive success, saying he has to "give all the glory to the bigs." He further explained, "They dominated down low, playing an inside-out ballgame, and that helped us score a lot."
Saturday's win marked Jacksonville's most balanced effort of conference play. The weekend served should serve as a confidence boost for a young roster beginning to find its identity in ASUN competition.
Through six conference games, the Dolphins have experienced a wide range of results. Despite a 2-4 record in league play, they maintain a positive point differential, having scored 401 points while allowing only 397. Statistically, the team stands at opposite ends in key categories: they boast the top-ranked defense but are 12th in offense.
Jacksonville has suffered two of the seven total one-possession losses in conference play, falling by a combined five points to Central Arkansas and Austin Peay. However, the Dolphins also own the largest, and tied-for-second largest margin of victory, with a 32-point win over West Georgia and a 22-point triumph on Saturday against UNA.
Against the Lions, the Dolphins posted their second-highest three-point shooting percentage of the season, hitting 57.1% from beyond the arc. This marked an improvement of approximately 35 percentage points over Thursday's matchup with Central Arkansas. Jacksonville is undefeated when making over 43% of its three-point attempts.
The Dolphins are currently 2-4 in conference play, tied with FGCU. With a four-game home-stand ahead, Jacksonville has a prime opportunity to build momentum. Jacksonville boasts a 15-4 home record in Swisher Gymnasium dating back to last season.
