JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — The North Florida Ospreys look to move above .500 as they host the Lipscomb Bisons in an ASUN Conference women’s basketball matchup on New Year’s Day at UNF Arena. The game, scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, pits two teams seeking momentum at the start of the conference slate. North Florida (5-6) enters with a slightly stronger overall record than Lipscomb (3-8), but both have faced challenging non-conference schedules. The Ospreys are led by guard Alonya Waldon, who is coming off an 11-point performance in a road loss to Clemson on Dec. 21. Waldon has been a consistent contributor, dishing out four assists and grabbing four rebounds in a high-scoring win over Coastal Georgia on Dec. 16. Lipscomb will counter with standout guard McKayla Miller, who has been a bright spot during a difficult stretch. Miller is averaging 15 points per game over her last four contests, including a 24-point, four-block effort in a narrow 65-59 loss at Samford on Dec. 18. Her ability to score and defend will be crucial for the Bisons. North Florida has shown potency at home, averaging 96 points in a win at UNF Arena earlier this month. Lipscomb, however, has struggled on the road, with all eight of its losses coming away from Nashville, including defeats at Power Five programs Purdue and Indiana. Historically, the ASUN opener provides a clean slate. The Ospreys will aim to leverage their home-court advantage, while the Bisons seek to reverse their road fortunes behind Miller’s dynamic play. The outcome could hinge on which team better translates its sporadic non-conference flashes into sustained conference execution. Following this contest, North Florida remains at home to face Austin Peay on Saturday, Jan. 3. Lipscomb continues its Florida road trip at Jacksonville on the same day.