Seven takeaways after NSU men’s basketball ties all-time home win-streak record
Welcome to The Shark Tank – also known as Rick Case Arena -- where NSU’s opponents get swarmed upon and devoured.
The Nova Southeastern University Sharks – the No. 2-ranked men’s basketball team in the nation in NCAA Division II -- defeated Tampa, 104-80, on Thursday night in a Sunshine State Conference semifinal.
It was NSU’s 80th consecutive home victory. With a win on Sunday in the SSC final against Florida Southern at 1 p.m., NSU (29-1 overall this season) would break the NCAA Division II record it currently shares with Jefferson (Pennsylvania), which won 80 straight home games from 1991 to 1995.
Here are seven takeaways regarding NSU hoops:
1. BREAKING RECORD WILL BE HARD
Florida Southern is 25-7 and ranked 23rd in the nation.
NSU beat the Moccasins in both games this season, but they were tough battles.
On Jan. 15, NSU beat visiting Florida Southern, 117-112. Florida Southern’s Jaden Booth scored 40 points in that game, including 8-of-12 on 3-pointers; 4-of-8 on 2-pointers; and 8-of-9 on free throws.
On Feb. 19, NSU beat host Florida Southern, 101-95, as Booth was held to 17 points.
Florida Southern, seeded second in this tournament behind NSU, advanced to the SSC final by beating Lynn 88-83 on Thursday.
Booth, a 6-2 guard who had 25 points on Thursday, will be an obvious Florida Southern player to watch on Sunday.
But the Moccasins also have 6-8 forward Alex Steen, who is the two-time SSC Defensive Player of the Year. Steen had 12 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks on Thursday.
2. TAMPA PUT UP A FIGHT
The Sharks trailed just once on Thursday, 8-5. But the Tampa Spartans were only behind by nine points at halftime.
The Spartans (19-10) handled NSU’s relentless full-court press fairly well in the first half with “just” seven turnovers. But, in the second half, Tampa turned it over 12 times.
For the game, NSU outscored Tampa 20-8 on the fast break. NSU also drove the lane, outscoring Tampa 46-24 in the paint.
“At halftime, we weren’t saying change this (scheme) to that,” NSU coach Jim Crutchfield said. “We were just telling them, ‘Play harder.’”
It worked.
3. NSU IS DEEP
NSU’s MJ Iraldi – who was named the SSC’s Player of the Year on Wednesday – was limited to 12 points in 23 minutes on Thursday due to foul trouble.
But that was no problem for the Sharks, who got a great performance from 6-9 forward Ryker Cisarik (game-high 26 points, game-high 10 rebounds).
Cisarik, a second-team All-SSC selection, was nearly perfect as he shot 11-for-12, including 3-for-3 on 3-pointers. His plus/minus was a game-high plus-30.
“Well, he missed that one shot,” said Crutchfield, who continues to push his players toward their potential.
“When he shoots, I expect it to go in. He is accurate from anywhere, from 3-pointers to baby hooks inside. It’s not a surprise when he plays well.
“I get on him when he blocks a shot but doesn’t keep the ball in-bounds. I always think there’s room to improve. But Ryker is creeping toward that line of his capabilities, which are high.”
Indeed, Cisarik led the league this season in field-goal percentage (59.7).
4. GRAZIANI RESTS … FOR 44 SECONDS
NSU point guard Dallas Graziani, who was named first-team All-SSC on Wednesday, also had a big game with 17 points and a game-high 12 assists. He played 39 minutes and 16 seconds.
“Dallas generally doesn’t need a rest,” said Crutchfield, who was named the SSC Coach of the Year on Wednesday. “My gut feeling is that even if Dallas needed a rest, he wouldn’t tell me.
“He doesn’t want to come out of the game, and I usually don’t want him out, either.”
By the way, Graziani, who ranks fourth in the nation in steals, also made the SSC All-Defense team.
On offense, he led the nation in assists and also in assists-to-turnover ratio.
5. SHARING IS CARING
NSU had 32 assists on Thursday – 10 more than Tampa.
For the season, NSU leads the nation in scoring (105.3); scoring margin (plus-25); and assists per game (24.5).
Iraldi said that leading the nation in assists is the mark of an unselfish team.
“We have a very close group,” Iraldi said. “We hang out all the time off the court, and it shows on the court. We play for one another.”
Added Crutchfield: “You have to be as happy when your teammate scores as when you score. To win games, everyone has to be concerned with the total score and not their individual number.”
6. EXPECT MJ HEROICS ON SUNDAY
Iraldi, who is the third NSU player in the past four years to earn the SSC Player of the Year honor, joining Sekou Sylla in 2022 and RJ Sunahara (2023), should have a bounce-back game on Sunday.
After all, he led the league in scoring (24.4) in the recently concluded regular season.
7. NSU WOMEN WIN, TOO
For the first time in school history, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams will be in the SSC final.
NSU’s women went on the road and upset 18th-ranked Tampa, 61-51, on Thursday.
NSU (25-5) will travel to play top-seeded Embry-Riddle on Sunday. It will be NSU’s first SSC final since 2015.
“I had a gut feeling – our women have been playing really well,” Crutchfield said of the squad coached by LeAnn Freeland-Curry. “They won at Embry-Riddle (on Feb. 26 by the score of 72-67).”
On Wednesday, NSU’s Aubrey was named first-team All-SSC. Payton Graber was named to the SSC All-Defense team. She also made third-team All-SSC.