Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- Savannah State held North Florida to one field goal in the last seven and a half minutes but the Ospreys made 11 of 12 free throws during that stretch and held on to defeat SSU 66-63 in UNF Arena.
 
With the score tired at 61 with one minute remaining, UNF (2-3) made three free throws to go ahead 64-61.
 
Saadiq Muhammad made a pair of free throws for the Tigers (2-3) with 22 seconds on the clock to pull within 64-63.
 
After a North Florida turnover, Devan Williams attempted a 3-pointer for the Tigers with five seconds left but he missed and UNF's Jalen Nesbitt  grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Nesbitt made bot free throws with two seconds left to seal the Ospreys win.
 
Williams had 16 points for SSU while Jyles Smith contributed 14 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks before fouling out. Muhammad added a career-high 10 points off the bench for the Tigers.
 
The crowd of 1,041 saw a contest that featured nine ties.
 
Despite shooting 50 percent from the field in the second half, the Tigers were out-scored 39-34 after halftime.
 
Neither team led by more than four in the first half
 
UNF led 25-21 with 2:40 left in the half but the Tigers ended the period with a 8-2 mini-run to take a 29-27 edge into intermission.
 
Savannah State led by as many as six early in the second period but trailed 45-44 at the midway point of the half.
 
A 3-pointer by Demarcus Daniels gave the Ospreys a 52-47 lead with 7:40 left but SSU rallied to tie the score at 61 on a free throw by Muhammad with a minute left.
 
SSU shot 44.4 percent from the field but were out-rebounded 32 to 30. The Tigers made 12 of 20 free throw attempts.
 
UNF, who made 32 of 39 free throw attempts, were led by Beau Beech's 19 points.