The Ospreys aren’t biting (back) in Florida


Jamahri Harvey (PC photo)

Let’s see. Commodores. Rams. Bulldogs. Ospreys. The Presbyterian College men’s basketball team has beaten them all.

Not that 4-0 by itself is that impressive. The Blue Hose defeated North Florida, 81-69, in the first round of the First Coast Classic in Jacksonville, Fla. PC has won the first four games of a season for the first time since the Blue Hose joined NCAA Division I in 2007-08. The most recent 4-0 start was in ’06-07.

Presbyterian began the season bearing an 18-game losing streak, then the longest in the nation.

As an old radio commentator used to say, Now you know the rest of the story.

The second half was an explosion. Presbyterian (4-0) outscored North Florida (2-2), 53-35.

Junior guard Jamahri Harvey recorded the first 20-point scoring game at PC with 21 points, 15 of which occurred in the second half. He pulled down eight rebounds.

Junior guard Samage Teel recorded his third straight double-figure scoring game with 18, along with six rebounds and three assists. Junior guard Marquis Barnett recorded his third straight double-digit scoring game with 11 points, all in the second half. Senior Trevon Reddish-Rhone rounded out the Blue Hose double-figure scorers with 11 points while also dishing out a team-high four assists.

 Presbyterian trailed UNF, 34-28, at the half.

UNF connected on two free throws and led briefly by eight points. A three from Harvey began the Blue Hose’ 12-0 scoring run, giving PC a 40-36 lead at the 17:24 mark, Kaleb Scott, Teel, and Barnett also scored during the run. The Osprey scored four straight points tying the score at 40 at the 15-minute mark.

Behind the scoring of Harvey, Reddish-Rhone and Barnett, the Blue Hose regained the lead for good after an 8-0 run put PC in front, 48-40, with 13 minutes on the clock. North Florida cut Presbyterian’s lead to five points at the 12:39 mark but never got closer.

After a putback from Barnett at the 6:09 mark, the Blue Hose enjoyed their largest lead of the game, 63-48. Presbyterian again closed out the game with timely free-throw shooting and the Blue Hose scored 12 of their final 14 points at the line.

The Blue Hose defense limited UNF to .314 (22/70) shooting from the field and .282 (11/39) from beyond the three-point arc. Presbyterian’s defense has not allowed a team to shoot over 40 percent from the field this season.

Presbyterian finished the game shooting .800 (24/30) from the free-throw line. The Blue Hose finished the game with a 34-12 advantage on points in the paint and a 24-4 advantage on fast-break points. Presbyterian enjoyed a 46-36 rebound advantage, led by Kobe Stewart with nine.

Presbyterian had seven blocked shots led by Barnett’s three.

Presbyterian continues play in the First Coast Classic against Maine on Friday at 4 p.m.           

Take a look at the stats here.

Meanwhile, the curtain falls on football season as Steve Englehart’s team finishes off at Bailey Memorial Stadium against PFL foe Morehead (Ky.) State on Saturday at 1 p.m. 

Presbyterian (3-7, 1-6 PFL) has been dramatically more competitive in Englehart’s second season. Morehead State (4-6, 3-4) pulled off the upset of the year in the league by knocking off Davidson, 47-17, on the Eagles’ home field. If Drake, which edged the Blue Hose, 16-14, last week, can defeat Butler, it captures the league championship.

Morehead State’s upset was up in the air. The Eagles intercepted the Wildcats, who are normally not prone to pass, six times, and MSU quarterback Bryce Patterson completed 10 passes all game and six wound up in the end zone.

The Eagles scored 26 points in the second quarter, won by 30 and trailed the Wildcats by 11 minutes in time of possession, which was about the only normal stat in the game.

Encouraging for the Blue Hose is that Morehead State has won only once on the road in the PFL this year.

It is, of course, Senior Day at Bailey Memorial Stadium, providing final bows to Jordan Irizarry, David Herring, Dealo Parson, Jaden Wright, Anthony Dye, Clint Caldwell, James Hyland, Suubi Mutebi, T.J. Booker and Harrison Kennedy in pregame ceremonies.

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