JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Samford women's basketball team fell, 79-71, at North Florida on the final day of the North Florida MTE Saturday afternoon at UNF Arena.
 
With the loss, Samford fell to 2-8 on the season. North Florida improved to 2-6 with the win.
 
Samford was led in the loss by Emily Bowman with 15 points and eight rebounds. Sadie Stetson added 14 points for the Bulldogs.
 
For North Florida, Jasmynne Gibson had 20 points and seven rebounds. Jazmine Spencer contributed 14 points for the Ospreys.
 
After North Florida took an early 3-2 lead, Samford went on a 10-0 run to take a 12-3 lead with 4:47 to go in the first quarter after a free throw by Alyssa Tarpley. The Bulldogs led by 10 points at 19-9 with 1:59 to go in the opening period after a three-point play by Stetson. Samford held a 20-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.
 
UNF took a 23-22 lead early in the second quarter after a layup by Spencer. The Ospreys built a five-point lead at 31-26 with 4:43 to go in the second period after a free throw by Kaila Rougier. After Samford cut the lead to three points at 31-28, UNF scored the next four points to push its lead to 35-28 with 3:53 remaining in the second quarter.
 
Samford then went on a 7-1 run to cut the lead to one point at 36-35 with 1:16 left in the second quarter following a layup by Kennedy Langham. UNF, however, scored the last five points of the quarter to take a 41-35 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
North Florida pushed its lead to 10 points at 51-41 with 5:12 left in the third quarter after a layup by Rougier. Samford scored the next six points to cut the lead to four points at 51-47 at the 3:50 mark in the third period after a three-pointer by Langham. After UNF pushed the lead back out to nine points at 58-49, Samford closed the third quarter with a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 58-55 heading into the final period.
 
Samford cut the UNF lead to two points at 61-59 with 8:42 left after a layup by Bowman. The Ospreys pushed the lead back out to eight points at 71-63 with 5:50 to go after two free throws from Gibson. Samford cut the lead to five points at 76-71 with 1:41 left on a three-pointer by Kylee Lewandowski. The Bulldogs, however, could get no closer as UNF came away with the 79-71 win.
 
Next up, Samford will play at North Alabama on Thursday, Dec. 5. The game is set for a 6 p.m. start from Florence, Ala.
 
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