LOUISVILLE, Ky. — North Florida pulled away in the second half of an 81-58 win over the Bellarmine University women's basketball team on Thursday in Atlantic Sun Conference play in Knights Hall.

North Florida (7-11, 2-5 ASUN) exploited Bellarmine's extensive injury issues with a pressure defense that registered 36 points off turnovers. Seventy of the Ospreys' points against the shorthanded Knights (2-18, 0-7) came either in the paint (52) or behind the 3-point line (18).

Bellarmine was within eight early in the third quarter after interior buckets by senior center Patricia Sherrill and freshman center Haya Abdel Aal, who distributed a career-high five assists. However, North Florida later used a 9-0 run in the period to expand its lead to 20.

Kayce Hyman finished one point shy of matching her career high after tallying 18. The sophomore forward knocked down a career-best 10 free throws in a career-high 13 attempts.

Sophomore guard Ava Smith supplied 15 points and junior forward Andrea Chiquemba added 12 on four 3-pointers. Three of Chiquemba's triples came in the first quarter as the Knights trailed by only one possession at 19-16.

North Florida entered halftime with a 34-24 lead after Jamisyn Stinson scored all 19 of her points over the first two quarters. Alexa Washington chipped in 11 points for the Ospreys.

Bellarmine will host Jacksonville at 11:30 a.m. (ET) Saturday. The game was moved up from its original 2 p.m. start due to forecasts of heavy snowfall.

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