NSU basketball teams share rare claim to fame with national powerhouse UConn
Call it Hoops Heaven.
The Nova Southeastern University Sharks and the Connecticut Huskies are the only NCAA teams in the nation – across all three divisions – that have top-five teams in both men’s and women’s basketball.
Connecticut, a Division I school, is 21-1 and ranked second in the nation in men’s basketball and 23-0 and ranked first in the country in women’s hoops.
NSU, a Division II school, is 17-1 and ranked second in the nation in men’s basketball and 19-2 and ranked fourth in the country in women’s hoops.
The Sharks women have lost two straight games and are likely to drop in the next poll. Even so, the 19 wins to start the season are a program record. The previous record was 15 in 2013-2014, when the Sharks made it to the NCAA Final Four for the only time in program history.
Heather Macy, who is in her first season coaching NSU, said the buy-in from her players has been incredible.
“I’m so impressed with our players consistency and effort,” Macy said. “We don’t play perfectly. But we play incredibly hard.”
NSU’s team features all three coaches and five of its 15 players who spent last season with rival Barry University.
To be fair, Macy has been working with assistants Josie Earnhardt and Abria Trice since Greensboro University. In three years there, Macy compiled a 57-14 record.
Last season, Macy led Barry to a 19-10 record as the Bucs topped the Sunshine State Conference in points, rebounds and steals. This season, without Macy and her crew, Barry has a 5-13 record.
As for the current NSU players, the Sharks’ top-two scorers are Bridie McCann (15.0) and Kaliyah Morales (13.3). McCann ranks fourth in the SSC in 3-pointers per game (2.6). Morales ranks fifth in the SSC in steals (2.7) and fifth in assists (3.8).
McCann, a 5-6 guard from Pennsylvania, played last season for Chestnut Hill College. On Jan. 24, she made a three-pointer at the regulation buzzer as NSU went on to beat Palm Beach Atlantic, 82-80, in overtime.
Morales, a 5-9 guard, won three straight state titles at Miami Country Day. At Barry last year, she was named the SSC Conference Freshman of the Year. She is one of two former Barry players starting for NSU, joining 6-3 center Hailey Chiles.
Macy said that having those former Barry players at NSU has let others on the roster know what the new standard is for Sharks basketball.
“It bridges the gap for us,” Macy said.
NSU’s men, meanwhile, have made it to three straight national title games, winning the championship in 2023 and again last year.
Coach Jim Crutchfield – who in November had the honor of the NSU court being named in his honor – has his Sharks rolling with 11 straight wins.
But that’s nothing new. Since 2021-2022, the Sharks under Crutchfield are 152-6.
Incredibly, the Sharks have won 96 straight home games, which is an NCAA Division II record. The Sharks play their next game on the road before returning home to play Lynn on Feb. 11. If the Sharks keep winning, the streak would reach 100 in the playoffs.
As for their roster, the Sharks are led by two returners: 6-4 shooting guard Ross Reeves and 5-8 point guard Dallas Graziani.
Reeves leads the conference in scoring (23.2) and steals (2.2) and ranks fourth in shooting percentage (50.7). He is much improved from last season, when he averaged 12.8 points and shot 48.2 percent.
“He worked on his game over the summer and became a better defender,” Crutchfield said. “He’s also more consistent with his shot selection.”
Graziani leads the league in assists (6.1) and ranks sixth in steals (1.9).
Two newcomers of note are 6-7 forward Jaxon Nap and 6-5 forward Bennett Kayser.
Nap, a transfer from Seattle Pacific (Division II), is averaging 13.9 points. He also ranks third in the conference in rebounds (8.8).
Kayser, a true freshman from Ohio, is NSU’s top scorer off the bench (10.4). He averaged 25.4 points as a senior in high school, and he scored 28 points this season against St. Leo.
Unfortunately, Kayser took an elbow to the face last Saturday against Palm Beach Atlantic and is expected to miss a few more games.
The Sharks are also dealing with other injuries, including Ryan Davis (ankle); Blaise Vespe (knee); and Ryan Walsh (knee).
Crutchfield is hoping to get all three back for the playoffs, but Walsh’s situation could be problematic.
As for the success of both men’s and women’s basketball at NSU, Macy has said she has implemented some of Crutchfield’s principles.
Both teams rank among the top 10 in the nation in scoring.
“Heather has done an incredible job,” Crutchfield said of Macy. “She’s a hard worker with a good basketball mind.”