JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville University men's basketball team needed a moment to encapsulate its season. It needed a game or games where everything coalesced into a signature frame. It got that Saturday night.
In the regular season finale at rival UNF, Jacksonville went the distance over the Ospreys to earn a dominating 85-61 win. The Dolphins swept the Ospreys in two games, earning the program's first season sweep since the 2021-22 season.
Saturday's victory ended JU's regular season run with a record of 12-19 and a 7-11 mark in conference play.
When the ASUN Tournament begins on Wednesday, the Dolphins will be the #9 seed, facing off against #8 seeded Bellarmine at noon in UNF Arena. In Jacksonville's lone game against the Knights, Bellarmine was victorious by seven points.
But before the 'Phins begin their run in the Tournament, hosted in Jacksonville, the team can celebrate after walking into the same arena they will play a game in on Wednesday and utterly flattening the Ospreys.
To start the River City Rumble's Second Edition, Jacksonville popped out to an 11-0 lead five minutes into the game. After 10 minutes, Jacksonville found itself up 27-7.
Things were all Jacksonville in the opening frame of play, especially when Jacksonville saw itself to its biggest lead of the game, a 49-19 margin with just 86 ticks left to play in the first half. At the halftime break, the Dolphins led 49-20.
The team got out to its lead thanks to an 11-point half from
Chris Lockett Jr. and a team-high 12 points from Jacksonville native
Chris Arias. Both players started the game and singlehandedly outpaced the entire UNF scoring output. Down under the basket, JU led the rebounding margin 26-11 thanks to five boards each from Lockett and
Jason Thirdkill Jr.
UNF did its best out of the halftime stoppage to chip away at the lead, but could never get the game within less than 20 points. The closest the second half got was a 52-32 JU favored margin with 16:31 to go.
By game's end, Lockett led all scorers with 23 points. It was his second highest scoring game of the season and just two points shy of the career high 25 points he hung on EKU earlier in the year. Lockett got to his 23 by way of a 50% shooting night and a 5-8 showing from deep.
His five triples were his most in a Dolphin uniform this year. His seven final rebounds tied his career best mark as a college basketball player.
Lockett was joined in scoring by
Hayden Wood and Arias who each finished with 12. Wood shot 50% from the field while Arias finished his night 5-6 and 2-3 from deep.
Thirdkill managed 11 points to go with nine boards.
Donovan Rivers scored 10 and also pulled down nine rebounds. Thirdkill and Rivers both have six games each this season pulling down nine or more boards.
On the topic of rebounding, Jacksonville smothered UNF on the glass to the tune of a 46-21 rebounding margin. The team's 46 rebounds grabbed were its most in conference play and third most all year. It was UNF's third worst rebounding contest of the season.
Offensively, the team dished the ball extremely well. JU finished with 20 assists on made baskets, its most in ASUN play and third most as well on the season. Jacksonville also outshot the Ospreys 52.3% to 35.7%. While the shooting percentage number for UNF represented its fourth worst of the year, Jacksonville's number represented its third best in ASUN play.
Defensively, JU limited the 3-point heavy Ospreys to only six makes beyond the arc. It was UNF's third worst 3-point shooting game of the season.
Jacksonville rides into the ASUN Tournament winners of their last two. For more information regarding Wednesday's game, and the rest of the ASUN Tournament, click
HERE.
On Wednesday, March 4, the #9 Dolphins and #9 Knights will square off in a winner-take-all first-round game. First tip is scheduled for noon inside UNF Arena. If the 'Phins are victorious, they will play top-seeded Austin Peay in the Quarterfinals.
ESPN PLAYER OF THE GAME CHRIS LOCKETT JR.
RELIVE THE MOMENTS
