FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – When Nova Southeastern's 2016-17 men's basketball schedule was released today, head coach Gary Tuell immediately sent a warning message to his Shark players:  "Bring your life jackets.  We're swimming in deep water."
 
Besides the usual heavyweights that make the Sunshine State Conference one of the top leagues in NCAA Division II basketball, the Sharks will step outside the league to host three of the nation's perennial DII powerhouse programs:  Southern Connecticut State (Sunday, November 27), West Liberty (Tuesday, December 13) and Indianapolis (Friday, December 16). 
 
"The good news is that we have an opportunity to make a name for ourselves with our non-conference schedule," said Tuell, "Not many people have had much luck beating Southern Connecticut, West Lib and U-Indy over the years, but we do get those games at home. Fans who want to see how good basketball is at the NCAA DII level should mark those dates on their calendars."
 
Southern Connecticut is coached by former University of Connecticut All-American Scott Burrell.  Burrell spent eight years in the NBA after leaving UConn in the early 1990s, including the 1997-98 season in which he helped the Chicago Bulls win an NBA championship.  The Southern Connecticut coach has the distinction of being the only NCAA athlete to be drafted in the first round of both the NBA (Charlotte Hornets) and Major League Baseball (Toronto Blue Jays).  In his first two seasons as a head coach, Burrell has led Southern Connecticut to 24-8 and 22-8 records and two NCAA tournament berths.  Last year's Southern Connecticut team climbed as high as number two in the national rankings.
 
U-Indy is coming off a 21-8 season and six straight appearances in the NCAA tournament.  Indianapolis has won 21, 25, 24, 20 and 20 games the past five seasons.  The highlight of NSU's '16-17 non-conference schedule, though, is West Liberty (W. VA.), the most successful college basketball team in any division over the last 10 years.  Coach Jim Crutchfield's West Lib squad is coming of a 31-4 season and a trip to the NCAA DII Final Four.  Over the last seven seasons, West Liberty has posted records of 31-4, 28-4, 31-4, 34-2, 32-3, 33-1 and 19-3.  Crutchfield's teams have advanced to the NCAA DII Elite Eight in five of the last six years.  Current NSU assistant coach Jordan Fee is a graduate of West Liberty and a member of the 2010-11 and 2011-12 teams that went 33-1 and 32-3, including a national runner-up finish in '11.  
 
"Our conference is so darned tough that a lot of people in our league don't like to play teams of this caliber," said Tuell.  "I don't blame them.  But we're trying to get where these teams have been, and I've always believed you can't be one of the best if you don't play the best.  Besides, competitive players enjoy challenges and our schedule will certainly challenge them.  It's a wonderful opportunity for our guys, and if nothing else we will have a chance to measure ourselves against some great teams and learn some valuable lessons."
The Sharks face NCAA Division I member South Florida in an exhibition game on November 7 in Tampa.  NSU opens the regular season with NAIA power St. Thomas (18-9 a year ago) in a Homecoming game for the Sharks on November 11.  After that, NSU jumps into the rugged SSC with Palm Beach Atlantic at home (Wednesday, November 16) and a road game at Tampa (Saturday, November 19).
 
NSU plays two non-conference games away from home when they meet Point (Ga.) on Sunday, December 18 and Puerto Rico-Piedras (Monday, December 19) in the Florida Tech Winter Classic in Melbourne, Fla. before the Christmas holiday break.
 
"I truly enjoy playing non-conference games against nationally-ranked teams and quality teams that are well-coached.  We try to do that every year," said Tuell.  "Non-conference games are great learning experiences and opportunities to play a lot of people and experiment a little.  But the real fun is having a chance to play in the Sunshine State Conference. 
 
"Our league has been ranked at, or near the top of all NCAA DII leagues over the past three or four years. The reason for that is simple:  no DII league in America has the kind of balance and strength, top to bottom, as the SSC.  Three teams (Barry, Rollins, Eckerd) tied for first last year and Saint Leo was not far behind them.  All four of those teams made the NCAA tournament, and rightfully so.  All four are going to be very, very good again this year," NSU's veteran coach predicted.  "What makes our league so tough is that the bottom four teams in the SSC are almost as good as the top four.  And that's been true every year for the past 10 years.  There are no easy games, no nights off.  You have to bring your best every night if you hope to have any chance in this league.  If you're good enough to win this league, you're good enough to beat anyone on the national level.  We're excited about the season and the challenges in front of us."