FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – After clinching the program’s second consecutive Sunshine State Conference tournament title earlier this afternoon, the No. 1 ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball, led by SSC Coach of the Year Jim Crutchfield, has been tabbed the top-seed in the 2023 NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament.
The Sharks (30-0) enter the NCAA Tournament undefeated for the second consecutive season and are the lone unbeaten program across Division I and II. RJ Sunahara, the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, and Will Yoakum, the SSC Newcomer of the Year & Tournament MVP, lead the undefeated Sharks. NSU leads NCAA Division II in points-per-game (103.8), scoring margin (+26.8), turnover margin (+10) and the Sharks are second in assists-per-game (22.0)
NSU will face No. 8 seed Miles (23-6) on Saturday, March 12 from the Rick Case Arena.
Nova Southeastern will host seven NCAA Tournament games from March 12 – 14, with four quarterfinal games scheduled for Saturday, two semifinal contests on Sunday, March 13, and the NCAA South Region Championship game on Tuesday, March 14. The winner of the NCAA South Region Tournament will advance to the Elite Eight, which is held at the Ford Center in Evansville, IN., from March 21 – 25.
Quarterfinals – Saturday, March 12
Game 1 – No. 3 Alabama-Huntsville (25-7) vs. No. 6 Embry-Riddle (19-11)– 12 p.m.
Game 2 – No. 2 West Alabama (26-5) vs. No. 7 Tuskegee (20-8)– 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 – No. 1 Nova Southeastern (30-0) vs. No. 8 Miles (23-6)
Game 4 – No. 4 Lee (20-7) vs. No. 5 West Georgia (20-9)
Semifinals – Sunday, March 13
Game 5 – Winner of Game 1 vs Winner of Game 2 – 5 p.m.
Game 6 – Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 – 7:30 p.m.
South Region Championship (Sweet 16) – Tuesday, March 14
Game 7 – Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6 – 7 p.m.
To stay up to date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & Twitter at NSU_MBasketball and Facebook at NSU Men’s Basketball.
