LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The North Florida women’s basketball team from Jacksonville ran its winning streak to three games Thursday night, holding off Little Rock 71-64 at the Jack Stephens Center for its first road win of the season.
The Ospreys improved to 3-1. Little Rock fell to 1-3.
It was the first game this season in which four North Florida players scored 10 or more. Freshman forward Belle Ratliff led the way with 16 points and eight rebounds, both season highs, on 7-of-13 shooting. Elle Blatchford, Alexa Washington and Alonya Waldon, all in their senior seasons, chipped in 14 apiece from the backcourt. Waldon went 7-for-8 at the foul line and hit a key three late, while Blatchford added four steals.
Little Rock jumped out to a 6-0 lead and was up 14-7 early, but North Florida had the edge 18-16 after one quarter. The Ospreys then held the Trojans to nine points in the second period to lead 32-25 at the break.
North Florida pushed the margin to 53-42 through three quarters and stretched it to as many as 14 in the fourth before Little Rock made a late run.
The Ospreys did most of their damage inside, outscoring the Trojans 46-20 in the paint, and their bench supplied 36 points to just three for Little Rock. North Florida shot 46.6% from the field.
Little Rock got a big night from Neso Anisiobi, who had 26 points, 14 rebounds and five steals, and Brenna Burk chipped in 15 points with four threes. The Trojans won the rebounding battle 32-29.
North Florida stays on the road Saturday, Nov. 14, at Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark., the next stop on a four-game trip.
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