Mackins, Hot-Shooting North Florida Halt Liberty's 11-Game Win Streak

North Florida's Marissa Mackins went off for a career-high 33 points and hit eight of her team's 17 three-pointers as the Ospreys ended Liberty's 11-game winning streak with an 85-80 triumph, Saturday afternoon at UNF Arena. The Lady Flames trimmed a 17-point second-half deficit to two but could not complete the comeback and lost for the first time in two months.

Liberty falls to 12-4 overall and 8-1 in ASUN play with its first conference loss of the season. The Lady Flames had won 16 straight games against ASUN foes, dating back to last season. Liberty is now 0-3 all-time at UNF Arena.

North Florida wins its third straight contest to improve to 9-7 overall and 7-2 in the ASUN. The Ospreys' 17 triples matched the most Liberty has ever given up in a single game. One of them put UNF in front 65-48 with 3:51 to play in the third quarter prior to a furious late comeback attempt by the Lady Flames.

Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Emily Lytle – 19 points, 5 rebounds; Alyssa Iverson – 16 points, 4-7 3FG; Dee Brown – 13 points, 5 rebounds; Mya Berkman – 12 points, 7 rebounds.

North Florida Individuals: Mackins – 33 points, 8-13 3FG; Jazz Bond – 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks; Rhetta Moore – 13 points, 3 steals; Erin Jones – 12 points, 4-6 3FG, 7 assists.

Key Team Stats: North Florida shot 53.6 percent (30-of-56) from the field, becoming the first team to make 50 percent of its field goals against the Lady Flames this season. The Ospreys were 47.2 percent (17-of-36) from beyond the arc. Both teams struggled from the foul line, as Liberty shot 46.7 percent (7-of-15) and UNF was 36.4 percent (8-of-22). Liberty had the upper hand in points in the paint (42-20) and rebounds (39-32). North Florida posted more than twice as many assists (24) as turnovers (11).

Turning Point
Emily Lytle's pair of free throws with 3:12 to play capped off an 11-2 Liberty run, cutting the Lady Flames' deficit to 74-72.

Mackins answered with a jumper on North Florida's next possession and scored nine straight Osprey points during the closing minutes to keep the Lady Flames from getting any closer.

Game Summary
First Quarter
• After a slow start offensively, North Florida hit four triples during the final 3:45 of the first quarter, including two by Mackins, to take an 18-15 lead. It marked the first time Liberty had trailed during a Saturday ASUN matchup this season.

Second Quarter
• The host Ospreys shot 75 percent (9-of-12) during their 23-point second quarter, including 66.7 percent (4-of-6) from three-point range. UNF closed the half with a 13-2 run to take a 41-33 lead into the intermission.

Third Quarter
• North Florida knocked down seven more triples in the third quarter, including one from Jazz Bond at the top of the key which extended the Ospreys' advantage to 65-48 with 3:51 on the clock.

• Liberty then held UNF without a field goal for the remainder of the period, using an 8-2 surge to pull within 67-56 heading to the final 10 minutes.

Fourth Quarter
• Liberty pounded the ball inside during the final period, getting 21 of its 24 points either inside the paint or at the foul line. Berkman led the way with eight of her 12 points coming during the stanza. But Mackins' nine fourth-quarter tallies helped keep the home team in front.

Notes and Nuggets
• Lytle scored 13 of her 19 points during the second half and now has 988 for her Liberty career. She and Ashtyn Baker are now tied with Tolu Omotola for 17^th place on Liberty's all-time scoring chart.

• Iverson's 16 points doubled her previous season high of eight and the junior's four triples were the most she has made in a single game for the Lady Flames.

• After missing last weekend's pair of matchups with Jacksonville, Brown returned to action and matched her season high of 13 points.

• Bridgette Rettstatt scored her 800^th career point during the contest and is now nine rebounds shy of 600.

• Saturday marked the first time since Feb. 12, 1994, Liberty scored 80 points in a regulation game and lost. That day, the Lady Flames suffered an 84-80 home loss to Radford at the Vines Center.

• The home team has now won all six meetings between Liberty and North Florida all-time.

• Liberty is now 3-7 when facing ASUN opponents in Florida since joining the conference and 30-6 in ASUN matchups played anywhere else.

• The Ospreys' 17 three-pointers tied Liberty's opponent single-game record. Iowa State hit 17 triples against the Lady Flames on Dec. 9, 2000.

• Prior to Saturday, Liberty had won its first four Saturday ASUN contests this season by an average of 25.3 ppg.

Up Next
Liberty and North Florida will meet again on Sunday, with tipoff scheduled for 2 p.m. at UNF Arena.