Tag: #1 Men’s Basketball

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Led by an incredibly efficient 32 points by MJ Iraldi (12-16 FG/6-7 3PT), the top-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team won their eighth consecutive game, beating the Lynn Fighting Knights 92-73 in Sunshine State Conference action on Wednesday evening from the de Hoernle Sports Center. 

Records: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 8-0, 2-0 SSC | Lynn 3-2, 1-1 SSC
Score: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 92 | Lynn 73
Location: de Hoernle Sports Center | Boca Raton, Fla. 
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First Half – The Sharks struggled to find their footing in the opening minutes of the contest as the Fighting Knights opened a 15-2 lead over NSU early. Ryan Davis sparked a 16-3 run by the Sharks, spanning four minutes of game time, giving Nova Southeastern its first lead of the game. During the extended run, Dallas Graziani tallied eight of his 12 points, while MJ Iraldi, Ryker Cisarik, and Ross Reeves all contributed on the score sheet. Later in the half, Iraldi banged a three-pointer, off an assist from Graziani, pushing the Sharks advantage to 28-18 with less than eight minutes remaining in the half. NSU went into the break leading 43-35 over the Fighting Knights, outscoring Lynn 41-20 over the final 16 minutes of the half. 

Second Half – Iraldi scored the 10 of the first 12 points of the second half for NSU, while Cisarik added a bucket, pushing the lead to 55-42. Midway through the half, the Sharks continued to maintain their double-digit advantage, leading 66-53. Iraldi gave Nova Southeastern an 81-61 lead over Lynn with less than six minutes remaining in the game. A bucket from Tommy Sala gave the Sharks a 92-65 advantage, their largest lead of the contest, and NSU closed out the 92-73 Sunshine State Conference victory. 

MJ Iraldi: 32 points, 12-16 FG, 6-7 3PT, six rebounds
Ryker Cisarik: 16 points, nine rebounds, 7-11 FG
Tyler Eberhart: 14 points, five rebounds
Dallas Graziani: 12 points, nine assists

The top-ranked Sharks return to the Rick Case Arena to take on the Fort Lauderdale Eagles on Monday, December 9th. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Purchase tickets here. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram and X at NSU_MBasketball. 

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WINTER PARK, Fla. – Led by 29 points from Ross Reeves, five Sharks scored in double figures as the No. 1 Nova Southeastern Men’s Basketball team opened Sunshine State Conference play with a 109-94 victory over the Rollins Tars on Saturday evening at the Alfond Sports Center. Dallas Graziani recorded his fifth double-double of the season (14 points, 10 assists), while MJ Iraldi added 23 points, Tyler Eberhart scored 16 and Ryker Cisarik recorded 12 points off the bench. 

Records: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 7-0, 1-0 SSC | Rollins 3-3, 0-2 SSC
Score: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 109 | Rollins 94
Location: Alfond Sports Center | Winter Park, Fla.
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First Half – The Sharks offense struggled after the opening tip-off, as Rollins led 22-8 in under eight minutes of action. A 9-0 run, capped off by a three-pointer from Eli Allen cut it to a two possession game at the midway point of the opening half. MJ Iraldi, Ryker Cisarik, and Ross Reeves all contributed on another extended run for NSU, giving the Sharks a 29-28 lead with less than six minutes left in the half. Both teams traded buckets for the remainder of the half, but Nova Southeastern went into the break leading 56-53 following a pair of buckets from Reeves and Iraldi in the final seconds of the half. 

Second Half – Nova Southeastern took advantage of a 10-0 run in the early moments of the second half, opening up a 77-65 lead over Rollins. The Sharks continued pouring it on for the remainder of the half, leading by double-digits throughout the second half and polished off a 109-94 victory in the Sunshine State Conference opener. 

Ross Reeves: 29 points, 7-12 FG, 12-13 FT
Dallas Graziani: 14 points, 10 assists (fifth double-double)
MJ Iraldi: 23 points, seven rebounds, two steals
Tyler Eberhart: 16 points
Ryker Cisarik: 12 points, five rebounds

The top-ranked Sharks will be back in action on Wednesday, December 4th, taking on the Lynn Fighting Knights at the de Hoernle Sports Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram and X at NSU_MBasketball. 

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – In their first game ranked as the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division II landscape, the No. 1 Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team defeated Florida National 120-64 on Wednesday evening at the Rick Case Arena. All 12 players for the Sharks got into the score-book, with five scoring in double-digits. MJ Iraldi led the effort with 19 points, Tyler Eberhart added 15 of his own, while Alex Mangold (14), Tommy Sala (11) and Jarvis Wright (10) contributed off the bench. 

No. 1 Nova Southeastern has now won 66 consecutive games at the Rick Case Arena.

Records: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 6-0 | Florida National 0-5
Score: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 120 | Florida National 64
Location: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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First Half – NSU raced out to an early 7-2 lead over the Conquistadors, as MJ Iraldi, Ross Reeves and Tyler Eberhart got involved early. Nova Southeastern and Florida National traded buckets, but the Sharks held a 29-19 lead midway through the opening half. Solid effort by Eli Allen on the offensive glass gave the Sharks a 41-27 lead as the sophomore converted a second chance opportunity. Iraldi scored four consecutive points, giving Nova Southeastern a 47-26 advantage. Jamie Qualley, Jarvus Wright, Tommy Sala and Ryker Cisarik helped the Sharks go into the break leading 58-31 over Florida National.

Second Half – A fast-break dunk by Eberhart, set up by a block from Allen, opened up the flood gates as Nova Southeastern extended the lead to 68-38. A 10-0 run for NSU, which began with back-to-back three pointers from Ryan Davis and Dallas Graziani, pushed the Sharks’ advantage to 92-41 with 11 minutes left in the game. Cisarik converted a lay-up, set up by Alex Sessoms, as NSU surpassed the 100-point threshold for the sixth consecutive game, leading 101-50 with seven minutes remaining. A dunk from Sala pushed the Nova Southeastern lead to 120-60 before NSU closed out the 120-64 victory and improved to 6-0 on the season, winning their 66th consecutive game at the Rick Case Arena.

Head Coach Jim Crutchfield – “On a game like today, we were getting the ball to the rim but shot 1-12 from three in the first half, I always want our guys to look for the best opportunity to score on every possession. We had the chance to go deeper into our bench and get guys some live action. We’re looking forward to opening up Sunshine State Conference action against Rollins.”

MJ Iraldi: 19 points, three steals, three assists
Tyler Eberhart: 15 points, six rebounds, two steals
Alex Mangold: 14 points, six rebounds, 6-7 FG
Tommy Sala: 11 points (career-high), 5-9 FG
Jarvis Wright (making collegiate debut): 10 points, five rebounds

No. 1 Nova Southeastern begins their quest for a fourth consecutive Sunshine State Conference regular season title, taking on the Rollins Tars on Saturday, November 23rd. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Alfond Sports Center. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram and X at NSU_MBasketball. 

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Following a 5-0 start to the 2024-25 season, the Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team has earned the number one ranking in the first National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll released on Tuesday afternoon. Nova Southeastern received all 16 first-place votes.  

The full NABC Coaches’ Poll can be found here.  

The Sharks continue to have a high-powered offensive attack, a staple under Head Coach Jim Crutchfield, ranking second in Division II in points-per-game (109.6). Dallas Graziani leads all levels of NCAA basketball with 59 assists, assists-per-game (11.8), and is tied for the national lead with four double-doubles.  

MJ Iraldi leads NCAA Division II in scoring, totaling 132 points, and is second in the nation across all levels. Iraldi is averaging 26.4 points-per-game and has scored at least 28 points in three contests so far this season. Iraldi, Ryker Cisarik, and Ross Reeves have all recorded double-digit points in each game on the season, while Graziani and Tyler Eberhart have scored at least 10 points in four-of-five games. 

Dating back to February 26th, 2020, NSU has won 65 consecutive home games at the Rick Case Arena. 

The No. 1 Sharks return to action on Wednesday, November 20th, taking on Florida National at the Rick Case Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram and X at NSU_MBasketball.  

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team, led by Head Coach Jim Crutchfield, coming off the program’s third consecutive NCAA South Region Championship, have announced their 2024-25 signing class. NSU once again reloads the roster, welcoming five new additions into the program, including the return of a 2022-23 NCAA National Championship team member.  

Ross Reeves | Redshirt Junior | Guard | Chaminade University 

Originally from Orem, Utah, Reeves joins the Sharks after two seasons at Chaminade University (HI). Reeves ranks as the program’s all-time leader in free throw percentage (85.7), ninth in scoring average (16.1) and seventh in steals per game (1.79).  

During the 2023-24 season, Reeves was named to the All-Pacific West third team, while also garnering recognition to the All-Academic team for the league. Reeves was honored as the team’s Most Outstanding Player and Chaminade University’s Male Athlete of the Year. He started all 28 games for Chaminade, leading the team in points-per-game (16.7) and assists (3.8). He led the PacWest in assist/turnover ratio (2.0). Reeves registered 20+ points in seven games during the 2023-24 season, including a season-high of 32.  

As a redshirt freshman, Reeves was named the Pacific West Conference Freshman of the Year. Reeves started 28 games during the 2023-24 season, finishing as the second-leading scorer for Chaminade (15.6 points per game).  

Coach Crutchfield on Ross Reeves 

“Ross is an experienced guard that is a natural scorer.   Deceptively quick with good anticipation skills I believe Ross will fit well in our aggressive defensive scheme. Ross has been well schooled at Chaminade by good friend and former assistant coach Eric Bovaird” 

Tyler Eberhart | Senior | Forward | University of Charleston 

Eberhart played four seasons at the University of Charleston, appearing in 88 games, starting 61 during his tenure. At Charleston, was a 60% shooter from the field, averaging 9.9 points-per-game, with 5.1 rebounds-per-game. Eberhart started a career-high 34 games during the 2023-24 season, leading the Golden Eagles to the NCAA Atlantic Region Finals. 

Coach Crutchfield on Tyler Eberhart 

“I think the first thing you notice about Tyler is his outstanding size, skills, and versatility. However, I think his greatest asset might be how well he sees and understands the game.  He was a huge factor in the high-level of the team’s success at The University of Charleston” 

Dallas Graziani | Junior | Guard | Samford University 

He’s Back! A member of the undefeated NCAA Division II National Championship team, Dallas Graziani returns to NSU after a season away at Samford University. Graziani started in 33 games for the Bulldogs, finishing the season shooting 50% from the field, recording 81 assists and 50 steals. Graziani scored a season-high of 15 against Wofford and scored five points against the University of Kansas in the NCAA National Tournament.  

During his first stint at Nova Southeastern, Graziani was an integral part of the national championship team, starting all 36 games for the Sharks. Graziani finished second in NCAA Division II in assists (241) and steals (85). Graziani set the single-game record for assists with 16 against Florida Memorial and capped the season with 24 points, nine assists and three steals in the national championship game.  

Coach Crutchfield on Dallas Graziani 

I do not think I need to inform the “Shark Basketball Community” about the potential value that Dallas Graziani can bring to our team.  They have already seen it live. I am excited to welcome Dallas back along with his high intensity competitive game 

Jarvis Wright | Freshman | Guard | St. Maria Goretti 

Wright joins the Sharks as an incoming freshman from St. Maria Goretti (MD.). Wright averaged 20 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists as a senior.  

 Coach Crutchfield on Jarvis Wright 

Jarvis is a much more physical player than his age and size might indicate. He is what we refer to as “wired.”  Coming out of a good high school program, Jarvis skills and intensity make him a good fit for “Shark Basketball” 

Alex Sessoms | Freshman | Guard | McKeel Academy 

Sessoms consistently earned recognition throughout his high school career. Beginning in the 2021-22 season, Sessoms was named as an All-County Honorable Mention, the McKeel Boys Basketball Most Valuable Player, and was named to the Wildcat Shootout All-Tournament team. The following year, Sessoms earned FACA 4A Player of the Year, All-County Second-Team and All-Polk Second-Team honors, while also repeating as the McKeel Basketball MVP. The accolades continued for Sessoms as a senior, being named to the All-County Second-Team, All-Polk Hoops Second-Team, and the McKeel Offensive MVP.   

Coach Crutchfield on Alex Sessoms 

“I think Alex is a great fit for Nova Southeastern, not only as a player, but also as a person and student. I really like the fact that Alex is not just an outstanding player himself but has shown himself to be a great team player. Alex is a great addition to the Shark Family.” 

The Sharks, under the direction of Head Coach Jim Crutchfield, have accumulated a record of 99-4 since the 2021-22 season, winning three consecutive Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament titles, three straight NCAA South Region Championships and the 2022-23 NCAA Division II National Championship. NSU will return to action in November 2024. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.  

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Heartbreaking. The only word to describe the ending of the top-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks pursuit of back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championship. In a battle of the two highest ranked teams in Division II, NSU fell to the second-ranked Minnesota State, Mankato Mavericks 88-85 at the final buzzer on Saturday afternoon at the Ford Center.

Records: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 32-3 | No. 2 Minnesota State, Mankato 35-2
Score: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 85 | No. 2 Minnesota State, Mankato 88
Location: Ford Center | Evansville, IN.
Get Social: Instagram & X – NSU_MBasketball

First Half – The Sharks got off to a blazing start in the title game, opening the contest on a 12-2 run as Ryker Cisarik, MJ Iraldi, Isaiah Fuller and Ryan Walsh all contributed early. A few moments later, Cisarik knocked down his second three-pointer of the game, putting the Sharks ahead 15-7. Back-to-back buckets from Ryan Davis and Fuller extended NSU’s advantage to 19-9. The Mavericks cut the Nova Southeastern lead to five points after a pair of baskets from Dylan Peeters but Trey Doomes continued to hold MSU at bay with a made lay-up of his own, putting the score at 23-16. The Mavericks took their first lead of the game with less than seven minutes remaining in the half, as the score sat at 28-27 at the under eight media timeout. Both the Sharks and Mavericks traded baskets back-and-forth for the remainder of the half, but NSU went into halftime holding a 40-38 lead following another bucket from Doomes.

Second Half – Following the break, Minnesota State hit each of their first four shots and began the half on a 12-0 run, turning the tide in the game. The Mavericks continued to hold the momentum in the early minutes of the second half, taking a 59-49 lead over the Sharks. Midway through the second half, and trailing by double digits, Nova Southeastern rallied for a 13-0 run tying the game at 71-71 on a second-chance bucket by Iraldi. The final seven minutes of the title game were among the most competitive across all levels of collegiate basketball, as the top two teams in Division II traded baskets back-and-forth with the national championship in the balance. Iraldi scored eight consecutive points for the Sharks, giving NSU an 81-80 lead with 2:37 remaining. Trailing 85-83, Iraldi knocked down another clutch bucket for NSU with just over a minute left in the game. Minnesota State held the ball for the final possession and as the clock wound down on the game, with just one second left, the Mavericks hit the national championship winning three-pointer, ending the game 88-85.

Nova Southeastern Men’s Basketball thanks the five Shark seniors – Isaiah Fuller, Mike Moore, Trey Doomes, GianFranco Grafals, and Shane Hunter – for their contributions to the program throughout their career. The NSU Men’s Basketball season has come to an end, over the last three seasons, Head Coach Jim Crutchfield has guided the Sharks to a 99-4 record, three Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament titles, three NCAA South Region championships, three NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearances, a national finalist finish and the 2022-23 NCAA Division II National Championship.

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball throughout the off-season, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.  
 

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – For the second consecutive season, the top-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team will compete for the NCAA Division II National Championship. NSU, the reigning champions, will take on the No. 2 Minnesota State, Mankato Mavericks on Thursday afternoon at the Ford Center. Both the Sharks and the Mavericks enter the NCAA Division II National Championship riding lengthy winning streaks; NSU has won 20 consecutive games, while Minnesota State has won each of their last 15 contests.

Under the direction of Head Coach Jim Crutchfield, the Nova Southeastern Sharks have become one of, if not the most, dominant programs across all levels of collegiate basketball. Over the past three seasons, NSU has accumulated a record of 99-3 (0.971 winning percentage), winning three Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament titles, three NCAA South Region crowns, and the 2022-23 NCAA Division II National Championship.

Offensive prowess has been a staple of Crutchfield’s teams throughout his coaching career, but the story throughout the NCAA Tournament has been the Sharks tenacious defense. Since the beginning of the NCAA Tournament, NSU has held opponents to a combined 40% (127-313) from the field and has forced 91 turnovers. The Sharks picked up their effort in Evansville. Nova Southeastern forced 21 turnovers by Southern New Hampshire and held the Penmen to just six field goals – 18 points – in the second half of the Elite Eight match-up on Tuesday afternoon. In the national semifinal against Cal. State, San Bernardino, NSU limited the Coyotes to just 13 made field goals in the second half and forced 19 turnovers.

Nova Southeastern has also outscored their opponents by a combined 82 points during the NCAA Tournament.

HOW THEY GOT HERE
No. 1 Nova Southeastern | 32-2 | Sunshine State Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champions, NCAA South Region Champions
Entering the NCAA Division II National Championship on Saturday, the Nova Southeastern Sharks have won each of their last 11 NCAA tournament games.

Following a thrilling 17-point comeback to defeat seventh-seed Southern New Hampshire, where NSU claimed their first lead with less than seven minutes remaining, the Sharks found their groove against Cal. State – San Bernardino in the Final Four. Nova Southeastern trailed in the national semifinal for a total of 16 seconds and defeated CSUSB 91-77 on Thursday afternoon.

Five Sharks scored in double-digits in the win, with 24-points from Shane Hunter leading the way. Hunter and Ryker Cisarik combined for eight blocks, while NSU forced 19 turnovers by the Yotes. Isaiah Fuller, Ryan Davis, MJ Iraldi, Ryan Walsh and Hunter all totaled two steals.

Nova Southeastern enters the NCAA Division II National Championship leading the nation in scoring (100.4 ppg), scoring margin (+22), steals (474), steals-per-game (14.4), while also ranking second in fastbreak points (668), third in rebounds (1424), and fifth in assists (621).
 
 
No. 2 Minnesota State, Mankato | 34-2 | Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champions, NCAA Central Region Champions
The Mavericks have enjoyed a 17-game improvement from their 2022-23 season and will play for the program’s first NCAA Division II National Championship. Minnesota State is led by the Willingham brothers, Malik and Kyreese. Malik Willingham has averaged 18.9 points throughout the 2023-24 campaign, while Kyreese, the younger of the two, has averaged 14.6 points.

Minnesota State handled eighth-seeded Ferris State 98-70 in the Elite Eight and defeated fourth-seeded West Texas A&M 78-72 in the national semifinal.

The Sharks pursuit of a second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship will tip-off at 3 p.m. EDT and will be available on CBS, check your local listings. To stay up-to-date on NSU Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.
 

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – For the second consecutive season, the top-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team will play in the NCAA Division II National Championship. The Sharks won their 20^th consecutive game, defeating the sixth-seeded California State – San Bernardino Coyotes 91-77 in the national semifinal on Thursday afternoon at the Ford Center.

Shane Hunter made his presence felt throughout the game, scoring a team-high 24 points, grabbing seven rebounds and adding four blocks in the win. MJ Iraldi contributed 15 points, six assists and five rebounds, and Ryker Cisarik tallied 11 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, while Trey Doomes scored 12 points off the bench for NSU.

Nova Southeastern is the 20^th top-ranked team in NCAA Division II history to reach the national championship game, 12 of 19 have won the national title – including NSU in 2022-23. The championship game will be the 16^th match-up of two 30+ win teams.

Records: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 32-2 | No. 20 California State – San Bernardino 27-8
Score: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 91 | No. 20 California State – San Bernardino 77
Location: Ford Center | Evansville, Ind.
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First Half – Shane Hunter and MJ Iraldi combined to score the first six points of the game for Nova Southeastern, giving NSU an early lead over the Yotes. Following a steal by Ryan Walsh, Mike Moore drilled a three-pointer and put Nova Southeastern ahead 17-10 in the first six minutes of the game. Hunter scored six consecutive points for the Sharks, extending the lead to 23-11 over CSUSB. Shortly after, Ryker Cisarik added a three-point bucket and Iraldi followed with a tough finish on an and-one opportunity, putting NSU in front 29-15. Later in the half, CSUSB cut the Nova Southeastern lead to just five, but six consecutive points from Isaiah Fuller gave the Sharks a 47-37 lead. NSU went into the halftime break with a 53-40 advantage over the Yotes.

Second Half – Early in the half, Trey Doomes added a bucket by putting back his own miss, pushing the NSU lead to 59-48. CSUSB responded with a 13-3 run, putting the score at 62-61, but back-to-back buckets from Cisarik and Isaiah Fuller gave the Sharks a 66-61 lead. Midway through the second half, NSU clung to a 68-63 lead. With less than six minutes remaining in the game, Doomes added another clutch bucket for NSU, off an assist from Fuller, pushing the Sharks lead to 76-65 over CSUSB. Doomes, Fuller, and Hunter combined to score 14 of the final 16 points for Nova Southeastern, sending the Sharks to the program’s second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship game.

Shane Hunter: 24 points, seven rebounds, four blocks, 8-12 FT
MJ Iraldi: 15 points, six assists, five rebounds
Isaiah Fuller: 14 points, four assists, three rebounds
Trey Doomes: 12 points, three rebounds
Ryker Cisarik: 11 points, seven rebounds, four blocks, 2-3 3PT

The top-ranked Sharks play for their second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship on Saturday, March 30^th, where they will take on the winner of the national semifinal between the top-seeded Minnesota State – Mankato Mavericks and the fourth-seeded West Texas A&M Buffs. The game will be broadcasted on CBS at 3 p.m. EDT, check your local listings. To stay up-to-date on NSU Men’s Basketball throughout their championship run, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.
 

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EVANSVILLE, IN. – On the cusp of playing for their second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship, the top-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team faces a familiar foe in the Final Four. The Sharks take on the California State, San Bernardino Coyotes in the Final Four, where the two teams faced off in last season’s national semifinals.

Entering the Final Four matchup, Nova Southeastern has won 19 consecutive games in the 2023-24 season and the Sharks have also won 10 consecutive NCAA Division II Championship tournament games since the 2022-23 season.

HOW THEY GOT HERE
No. 1 Nova Southeastern (31-2) | Sunshine State Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champions, NCAA South Region Champions
NSU overcame a 17-point deficit, the second largest in NCAA DII Elite Eight tournament history, defeating the seventh-seeded Southern New Hampshire Penmen 68-60 in the national quarterfinals on Tuesday afternoon.

The Sharks went into the halftime break trailing 42-28. Southern New Hampshire shot 60% as a team in the first half, while NSU totaled just eight field goals over the opening 20 minutes. Nova Southeastern flipped the script after the break, holding SNHU to just six made shots in the second half and 24% shooting.

Mike Moore and Trey Doomes combined for 20 points, off the bench, for the Sharks. Moore tied for the team lead with 11 points, while Doomes shot 50% from the field in the victory.

No. 20 California State, San Bernardino (27-7) | NCAA West Region Champions
The Yotes opened the NCAA Division II Elite Eight with a 99-65 over the third-seeded Gannon Knights on Tuesday afternoon.

Sedrick Altman led CSUSB with 37 points, making 13 shots and shooting 70% from beyond the arc, while LeAndrew Knight was nearly perfect from the field (12-13) and scoring 29 points. The Yotes scored the most points in Tuesday’s action in Evansville.

MATCHUP HISTORY
The Sharks and Yotes battled in the Final Four on the way to Nova Southeastern winning the program’s first NCAA Division II National Championship during the 2022-23 season. NSU defeated CSUSB 94-87, with all five of the Sharks starters – Jonathan Pierre (18), Kobe Rodgers (21), Dallas Graziani (13), RJ Sunahara (14), and Will Yoakum (18) – all scoring in double figures in the victory.

Nova Southeastern takes on CSUSB in the Final Four at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., on Thursday, March 28^th. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:07 p.m. EDT/1:07 p.m. CDT and the game can be viewed on CBS Sports Network (sign in using your television provider).

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball throughout its’ championship run, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Survive and Advance. The top-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team (second-seed) overcame a 17-point deficit and outlasted the seventh-seeded Southern New Hampshire Penmen 68-60 in the Elite Eight on Tuesday afternoon at the Ford Center. After trailing 42-28 at the half, NSU held SNHU to just 18 points in the second half, limiting the Penmen to just six made field goals (6-25/24%) in the second half. 

Nova Southeastern has won 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament games, dating back to the 2022-23 season and is currently riding a 19-game winning streak.

Records: (2) No. 1 Nova Southeastern 31-2 | (7) Southern New Hampshire 24-11
Score: (2) No.1 Nova Southeastern 68 | (7) Southern New Hampshire 60
Location: Ford Center | Evansville, Ind.
Get Social: Instagram & X – NSU_MBasketball

First Half – SNHU began the game on an 8-1 run, as NSU missed each of its first seven field goal attempts. The Sharks continued to trail throughout much of the opening half and midway through NSU faced a 22-11 deficit. Ryan Davis put back a second chance opportunity, which was followed by another bucket from Ryker Cisarik, putting the score within one possession as the Sharks trailed 22-19. Nova Southeastern was unable to take the lead in the first half, as the Penmen closed the half on a 20-9 run, putting the score at 42-28 at the break.  

Second Half – Trailing 47-31 early in the second half, Trey Doomes kick-started an 11-0 run for the Sharks putting the score at 47-42. Cisarik knocked down a three-point bucket for NSU, cutting the Penmen lead to 49-45 with under 13 minutes remaining in the game. The Sharks continued to show their resiliency and tied the game at 54-54 following a clutch three-pointer from Cisarik. MJ Iraldi gave Nova Southeastern their first lead in the contest, knocking down a pair of free throws, giving NSU a 56-54 advantage. With less than four minutes left in the game, Doomes finished off an and-one opportunity and put the score at 59-56 in favor of the Sharks. Nova Southeastern put the game away at the free throw line as Shane Hunter and Isaiah Fuller scored the final eight points for the Sharks, advancing NSU to the Final Four for the second consecutive season.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
NSU forced 21 turnovers by Southern New Hampshire and outscored the Penmen 27-5 off of turnovers.
Mike Moore (11 points) and Trey Doomes (9) combined to score 20-points off the bench for the Sharks. NSU’s reserve unit outscored the Penmen’s 31-17.
The 17-point comeback by Nova Southeastern is the second largest in the history of the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
 

Head Coach Jim Crutchfield – Southern New Hampshire is a very well coached team and came into the game with a good game plan to win. I liked our effort. When all else fails, sometimes you just have to play harder, and our guys did just that.

No. 1 Nova Southeastern faces sixth-seeded California State San Bernardino Coyotes – in a rematch of last season’s Final Four – with a spot in the NCAA Division II National Championship on the line on Thursday, March 28^th. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST and the game will be available on CBS Sports Network. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball throughout their championship run, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.
 

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