Jasai Miles hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:23 left and North Florida made several clutch plays down the stretch to earn a 74-71 victory over South Carolina on Monday night in Columbia S.C.
Picked seventh in the Atlantic Sun, North Florida took a 67-66 lead on Miles’ step-back 3 from the right side over Jacobi Wright. After the Ospreys missed two 3-point attempts following a South Carolina turnover, Jaylen Smith converted a layup for a 69-66 lead with 42 seconds to go.
Following a free throw by South Carolina’s Zachary Davis, Nate Lliteras made two at the line with 25 seconds left to make it a four-point game. Collin Murray-Boyles sank a layup with 15 seconds left to get the Gamecocks within two, but Smith converted a three-point play with nine seconds left for a 74-69 lead.
Smith scored 16 to lead North Florida, which outscored South Carolina 15-7 over the final four minutes. Liam Murphy added 14 points, Lliteras finished with 13 and Miles contributed 11 points and nine rebounds for the Ospreys, who shot 42 percent, missed 19 of 29 3-point tries and were 6-for-13 at the free-throw line.
Murray-Boyles led South Carolina with 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting. Zachary Davis, Jamarii Thomas and Wright added 12 apiece for the Gamecocks, who got three points and nine rebounds from Alabama transfer Nick Pringle. South Carolina shot 46.4 percent while missing 11 free throws in a disappointing opener after tying the program record with 26 games last season.
The game was tied six times until a basket by Davis snapped a 24-24 deadlock with 4:01 to go in the half. The Gamecocks scored seven straight points for a 31-24 lead on a 3-pointer by Jordan Butler with 3 1/2 minutes left before holding a 36-31 edge at halftime.
–Field Level Media
