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SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Wofford took North Florida’s best punch early, then answered with a bruising, balanced performance that looked every bit like a team settling into its identity. Behind 21 points and 9 rebounds from Kahmare Holmes and a hyper-efficient 16 points from Chace Watley, the Terriers erased a first-half deficit and powered their way to an 86–78 win Wednesday night at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.
Wofford improved to 3–2, while North Florida fell to 1–3.
The Terriers shot 50.8% from the field, hammered out 50 points in the paint, and crushed the Ospreys on the glass 43–27, leaning into a physical, interior-driven game plan that gradually wore North Florida down.
Holmes Sparks Turnaround After Slow Start
North Florida controlled the opening stretch, jumping ahead 24–16 behind early threes from BJ Plummer and confident ball movement from guard Taylor Thompson. The Ospreys played with pace, spacing the floor and forcing Wofford to defend the perimeter.
Holmes changed the tone.
The junior guard attacked relentlessly, slicing into the lane and drawing contact. His scoring helped Wofford steady itself and pull even at 32–32 before a late Trey Cady three sent UNF to halftime up 35–34.
What began as a track meet settled into Wofford’s type of fight — and once the Terriers found their groove, they seized control of the night.
Second-Half Surge Breaks Game Open
Wofford came out of the locker room with a purpose.
The Terriers ripped off an 8–0 run to go up 59–51, with Holmes continuing to bully his way into the paint and the frontcourt cleaning up the glass. Watley punctuated the surge with a transition finish and a mid-range jumper.
North Florida’s Kamrin Oriol briefly stopped the bleeding with a step-back three that trimmed the deficit to 61–56, but that was the closest the Ospreys would get. Wofford’s defensive pressure tightened, the rebounding margin widened, and the Terriers repeatedly turned second-chance opportunities into points.
From there, the Terriers dictated pace and personality.
Terriers Control the Paint and Bench Delivers
Wofford’s physicality was the story of the night.
The Terriers racked up 50 paint points and 20 second-chance points, owning nearly every 50-50 ball in the interior. Sumpter and Stirling anchored the effort with a combined 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Wofford’s guards consistently fed the post and attacked off the dribble.
Watley was a spark plug off the bench, shooting 7-of-8 from the field and giving Wofford key scoring bursts that forced UNF to collapse inside.
His energy shifted momentum more than once — finishing cuts, running the floor, and keeping the Ospreys guessing.
The Terriers’ bench outscored UNF’s 26–25, but the impact came at crucial junctures, especially in maintaining the lead midway through the second half.
Balanced Backcourt Closes the Door
Wofford’s guards handled the late-game execution with poise.
Cayden Vasko nearly posted a triple-threat line with 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, setting up teammates and controlling tempo. Luke Flynn added 10 points and 9 rebounds, helping Wofford dominate the defensive glass and limit North Florida’s second chances.
Nils Machowski contributed 11 points and key threes that halted Osprey mini-runs.
Despite a barrage of late threes from UNF — including back-to-back bombs from Plummer in the final minute — Wofford protected the ball (just 10 turnovers) and turned UNF’s 11 turnovers into 19 points, making sure the result was never in doubt.
Ospreys Hit Threes, But Wofford’s Toughness Wins Out
UNF kept the scoreboard moving through shooting alone.
Oriol poured in 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting with four threes, while Plummer matched him with 16 points off the bench, also hitting four triples. Mason Lee (13) and Kent Jackson (10) made it four Ospreys in double figures, and North Florida finished 14-for-33 from deep (42.4%).
But depth, physicality, and paint control tilted the night decisively toward the Terriers.
What’s Next for Wofford
For a team with new faces playing meaningful minutes, Wednesday’s win was as much about identity as it was about the scoreboard. The Terriers showed:
- the ability to adjust after a slow start
- elite paint presence and rebounding
- balanced scoring across multiple positions
- improved late-game composure
At 3–2, Wofford continues to show growth with each outing, and this win offers a clear blueprint: defend, rebound, drive the ball, and trust the depth.
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