Ryan Davis is one victory away from an NSU men’s basketball record

Ryan Davis is fourth on the NSU Sharks men’s basketball team in scoring, but he is among the very best in program history in the most important statistic.

Wins.

In games he has played, Davis has a 113-5 win-loss record since joining the Sharks in the fall of 2022.

On Saturday, when NSU – the top-ranked NCAA Division II team in the nation -- plays host to eighth-ranked Morehouse (22-9) in the opening round of the South Region playoffs – Davis could tie the record for most victories in Sharks history.

Counting only the games they have played in, here are the four Sharks who have won at least 100 games at NSU:

Shane Hunter (114-11)

Davis (113-5)

Alex Mangold (110-5)

Dallas Graziani (107-2)

Of those four players, only Davis and Graziani are still active at NSU. And only Davis and Graziani have won two national titles while playing for the Sharks, and they are six straight wins away from what would be their third national championship.

NSU, which has won 102 straight home games – an NCAA Division II record – is clearly on a roll, and Davis is a key part of that, supplying points (10.7), rebounds (5.9) and hard-nosed defense.

“I will guard anyone one through five,” said Davis, a 6-4 and 210-pound wing. “Coach (Jim Crutchfield) puts me on centers and tells me, ‘Shut him down.’ He will also put on point guards (with the same message).

“I will guard guys 94 feet as if my life depends on it. I’m also a crazy menace on the glass (as a rebounder). You have to be a little crazy to play in this (all-out-effort) system.”

Defense and rebounding haven’t always been Davis’ primary missions. As a high school senior at Martin County, Davis led the Tigers to their first state championship in 43 years (since 1979). In fact, Davis was named Florida’s Class 6A Player of the Year, capping a brilliant four-year run on Martin County’s varsity.

Martin County coach John Leon told the Miami Herald that Davis contributed in ways beyond the box score.

For example, during Davis’ junior year, a player stormed off the practice court, threatening to never play for Leon again.

“Ryan drug that kid back into the gym because I wasn’t going to do it,” Leon said. “That kid went on to become a starter on our state championship team.

“Even from his first day with us in the ninth grade, Ryan had the unique ability to do whatever the team needed to help us win.”

Indeed, Davis that season led the Tigers in rebounds (7.1) and assists (3.1), and he ranked second in scoring (15.2).

Even so, Davis had zero Division I offers, signing instead with NSU.

And, as a freshman in 2022-2023, Davis felt intimidated because he was on a veteran team that went on to go 36-0, winning the first national title in Sharks history.

In that year’s season opener, Davis was not used at all as NSU rolled to a 101-81 win over Alabama-Huntsville. Davis was so bummed that he asked Crutchfield to redshirt him.

“At Martin County, we played quick but not like this,” Davis said of NSU’s full-court-press defense and fast-break offense. “I figured I would need a year to get up to speed.

“But (Crutchfield) told me, ‘I know the player I recruited. We will need you this year.’”

Crutchfield’s confidence in him motivated Davis.

“From that point on, I decided to treat every practice like game day,” Davis said. “I started sprinting 94 feet on every possession, getting in people’s grills.”

Crutchfield noticed, using Davis in every other game that season. In fact, Davis averaged 17.5 minutes that year, including 25 minutes in NSU 111-101 win over West Liberty in the national championship game.

“I owe (Crutchfield and staff) a lot for believing in me,” Davis said.

Davis, who is set to graduate in May with a degree in Communications before embarking on a career in coaching and/or pro basketball overseas, has held up his end of the proverbial bargain.

The only issues Davis has had are injuries, especially ankle ailments that have plagued him since his freshman year in high school.

At NSU, he played with pain in both ankles as a freshman. As a sophomore, he missed nine games and had surgery on his left ankle as soon as the season was over. As a junior, he was recovering from surgery and got cleared to play just one week before the start of the season before playing the entire campaign.

This year, Davis’ right ankle has given him trouble, forcing him to miss eight games.

“I hate sitting out,” Davis said. “It’s the worst feeling ever.”

As a sophomore, Davis said he kept the seriousness of his ankle injury a secret from his coaches because he didn’t want to miss any more games.

“I couldn’t jump the way I wanted that year,” Davis said. “But when you play Sharks basketball, the adrenaline is rolling, and you live off that.

“This year, you’d have to cut my leg off to get me to miss any more games.”

Basketball has always been Davis’ passion, although there was a brief moment – in the summer of his senior year at Martin County – where he tried to play tight end on the football team.

However, he injured his left shoulder in practice before ever playing a game.

“That was God telling me not to play football,” Davis said.

Davis’ athleticism probably comes from his maternal grandfather, Jerry Curless, who was a 6-foot guard on the University of Illinois basketball team from 1959 to 1962.

Curless comes to a large majority of Davis’ games, offering constant encouragement. Davis’ support system also includes his older brother Matthew, who played with him at Martin County and is now trying to become a pilot; and their parents, Spencer and Kristin.

“My dad was my first coach,” Davis said. “I couldn’t tell you the last game he missed, and my mom is a teacher. She has always stressed academics.”

Davis said Crutchfield’s favorite statistic is plus/minus, which tracks a team’s points scored and points allowed during an individual player’s time on the court. That’s how Davis looks at basketball, too.

“All I want to do is win,” Davis said. “I don’t care how it comes as long as we’re ahead when the buzzer sounds.”

Added Crutchfield: “Ryan epitomizes what Sharks basketball is all about. He plays with effort and intensity, and he’s perfect for us.”