Five takeaways as NSU men’s basketball makes it to NCAA Division II championship game
Ryker Cisarik has a perfect explanation for why he’s averaging an impressive 25.0 points in the NCAA Division II men’s basketball tournament, six more than his season average.
“I just don’t want to go home,” Cisarik said.
Cisarik and the rest of the Nova Southeastern University Sharks aren’t going anywhere just yet.
On Thursday night, Cisarik, a 6-9 power forward from Colorado, scored a game-high 28 points as the top-seeded Sharks defeated fifth-seeded Washburn, 94-68, in an NCAA semifinal game at Evansville, Indiana.
Next up, the Sharks will play in their third straight NCAA championship game, which is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. on CBS.
NSU (35-1) will play seventh-seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills (30-5).
Here are five takeaways following NSU’s latest win:
1. NSU ON AN INCREDIBLE RUN
With a victory on Saturday, the Sharks will tie the program record for wins, which was set in 2023 when they won what is so far their only national championship. They finished second last year.
NSU also has the longest active win streak in the nation (22).
“This is a very exciting time of the year,” said Cisarik, who made 10-of-15 shots on Thursday, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers. “It’s everybody’s dream to play on this type of stage.
“It makes it easier when you have a bunch of teammates with NCAA Tournament experience.
“We’re not shying away from the moment. We’re excited for this moment. We’re embracing this moment.”
2. TOUGH OPPONENT
The Dominguez Hills Toros rallied from a 19-point deficit to defeat fourth-seeded Dallas Baptist, 94-83, in overtime in Thursday’s other semifinal.
The Toros, who will be playing in their first-ever national championship game, forced overtime when senior Alex Garcia hit a 3-pointer to tie the score with two seconds left in regulation.
Jeremy Dent-Smith scored 33 points for the Toros, who are the first California team to make it to the national final since 2010.
The Toros have been so good at coming from behind to win games in this tournament that NSU coach Jim Crutchfield made a joke about it late Thursday night.
“We’re going to trick them,” Crutchfield said. “We’re going to let them get the lead right off the bat …
“They have a lot of gumption. When you have a lead against them, it’s not safe. It’s a Cinderella story that we’re trying to avoid.”
3. EASY SEMIFINAL
NSU, which trailed only briefly in Thursday’s first two minutes and never by more than two points, led 53-29 at halftime.
Cisarik led all first-half scorers with 19 points on 7-for-9 shooting.
The game was essentially over at that time.
Besides Cisarik, the Sharks got 25 points from MJ Iraldi and 18 points and a game-high 11 assists from 5-8 point guard Dallas Graziani.
For Graziani, it was his 15th double-double of the season, and it was his 19th game with at least 10 assists.
“Our guys played with great intensity for 40 minutes,” Crutchfield said. “I was surprised we were winning by that much because Washburn had a great season.”
Indeed, Washburn finished with a 30-4 record, and its three other losses were all by single digits, including one in overtime.
The only team that put it on Washburn this season – other than NSU – was Division I power Kansas, 84-53. That was just an exhibition game, but it shows what the Sharks accomplished on Thursday.
4. BIG WEEK FOR MJ
Iraldi, NSU’s 6-6 shooting guard from New Jersey, was named the Division II Player of the Year on Wednesday.
Iraldi, who averages 23.5 points per game, also set NSU’s single-season scoring record earlier this year.
He is the third Sharks player to win National Player of the Year, and all of that has happened this decade.
Sekou Sylla won the award in 2022, and RJ Sunahara – now an NSU assistant coach – won the award in 2023.
Iraldi credited his teammates.
“We are a close group,” he said. “We do a lot of things together, and we play for each other.”
5. HUNGRY BUNCH
Iraldi said the Sharks want to atone for their defeat in last year’s NCAA title game, when they lost 88-85 to Minnesota State-Mankato.
“It’s a lot of fuel,” Iraldi said of the loss. “It will be very easy to get motivated after the way last season ended.”
Cisarik said it’s easy to play for Crutchfield.
“This system allows me to play free and with a lot of confidence,” he said. “It’s the players around me as well. We have two All Americans on our team (Iraldi and Graziani).
“Our whole starting five should be All-Conference. Our second five should be first-team All-Defense. We’re deep and talented.”
Cisari also said his team is loose.
“After shootaround (on Thursday), two of our teammates (Ryan Davis and Ross Reeves) are dancing to Katie Perry.
“We’re getting ready for a Final Four game, and they’re goofing off, having a dance-off. That’s what makes our group special. We’re having so much fun while playing basketball.”