Florida Gulf Coast University women's basketball flew past North Florida for a 70-38 win Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.

"Just a great team defensive effort today," head coach Karl Smesko said. "I thought Shekinah and Brylee gave us great minutes today."

The Eagles start conference play 2-0, have won five straight and now 24 consecutive games against current Atlantic Sun Conference members. FGCU has not lost to the Ospreys in the last 13 tries.

The Green and Blue held the Ospreys under 10 points in three of the four quarters played Saturday. Defensively, the Eagles have held opponents to under 50 points five times this season.

FGCU also held the Ospreys below its season average of 8.6 made threes per game. Entering the day, North Florida's 8.6 mark ranked 26th nationally. The Eagles surrendered only six of UNF's 22 attempts from deep.

North Florida scored the first point of the contest and secured a 6-5 lead just three minutes in, but an ensuing Uju Ezeudu made free throw attempt gave the Eagles a 7-6 lead, a lead that FGCU would not relinquish.

FGCU closed the opening period on a 12-3 run and later extended the same run to 22-3. The Ospreys looked up to find themselves trailing 31-9.

The Eagles comfortably led by 27 points at the break, 42-15, and continued to leave no doubt en route to their 32-point win. FGCU nearly beat the Ospreys in the paint alone, scoring 36 points in quick transitions and feeding cuts to the basket.

Brylee Bartram paced all Eagles with 12 points, going 4-for-6 from long range. Ezeudu produced nine points and six boards in just 17 minutes. Sofia Persson made an impact off the bench by adding nine points, manufacturing five assists and snagging two steals.

FGCU returns to the court Jan. 13 at Stetson. Tip-off in DeLand, Florida, is set for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.