North Florida Stuns South Carolina in Season Opener

North Florida Stuns South Carolina in Season Opener

COLUMBIA, S.C. — In an exciting start to the basketball season, the North Florida Ospreys rallied from behind to secure a 74-71 victory against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Monday night. The matchup took place at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, marking the beginning of the 117th season of South Carolina basketball.

Game Overview

The Gamecocks entered halftime with a narrow lead, sitting at 36-31. However, the Ospreys fought back in the second half, led by Jaylen Smith, who scored 14 of his 16 points after the break. The turning point came with less than five minutes remaining, as North Florida trailed by five points, 64-59, following a layup from South Carolina’s Jacobi Wright.

A Comeback for the Ospreys

North Florida quickly gained momentum. Smith started with two critical free throws, followed by Kamrin Oriol and Jasai Miles hitting important three-pointers. Smith capped off a crucial 10-2 run with a layup, flipping the score to 69-66 in favor of the Ospreys with just 42 seconds remaining.

To seal the win, Nate Lliteras made two free throws, and Smith added a three-point play with only nine seconds left. This late-game surge was enough for North Florida to hold off the Gamecocks and clinch the thrilling victory.

Team Contributions

In addition to Smith’s standout performance, the Ospreys saw significant contributions from Liam Murphy, who came off the bench to score 14 points and secure six rebounds. Nate Lliteras added 13 points along with five rebounds, while Jasai Miles contributed 11 points and nine rebounds. Oriol finished the night with nine points, shooting 3-for-7 from three-point range.

For the Gamecocks, Collin Murray-Boyles, selected as a preseason All-Southeastern Conference player, led the team with 17 points and seven rebounds. Other notable performances included Zachary Davis, Jamarii Thomas, and Wright, who each scored 12 points. Freshman Cam Scott, a local standout, debuted with six points and four rebounds in 21 minutes of play.

Looking Ahead

The loss marks a setback for South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris, who now holds a 2-1 record in season openers with the Gamecocks. The last time North Florida faced South Carolina in a season opener was in 2014, where they lost 81-56 but later went on to win the Atlantic Sun Conference championship.

As the Gamecocks look to rebound, they have two more home games scheduled before facing No. 17/18 Indiana on November 16. The team will welcome SC State this Friday and Towson next Tuesday, both set to tip off at 7 p.m. (ET) on SEC Network+, with commentary by Dave Weinstein and John Williams.