Box Score

 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern men’s basketball team (11-5, 4-2 SSC) picked up its first road Sunshine State Conference win of the season Wednesday night by defeating the Lynn Fighting Knights (3-13, 1-5 SSC), 78-69, in Boca Raton, Fla.

Alex Gynes (Sr., Nowra, Australia) scored over 20 points for the third straight game to lead the Sharks to their fourth conference victory. Gynes posted a game-high 24 points on 8-for-17 shooting from the floor and 7-for-8 from the free throw line. Robert Huntington (Jr., Perth Australia) led the Sharks with eight rebounds along with 13 points.

The first half was not the high scoring affair Shark fans have come accustomed to as the Sharks scored a season-low 25 points but only trailed by three at the break. NSU did not have its offense clicking but it still took Lynn almost 16 minutes to gain a six point lead, their largest of the half. John Brooks’ (Sr., Perris, Calif.) shot 4-for-6 in the half and 2-for-4 from behind the arc to keep the score within reach. Brooks had 10 points at the break and finished the game with 12 points on 50 percent (5-for-10) shooting.

The Sharks shot 35.7 percent (10-for-28), the worst shooting first half since NSU’s loss to Rollins. However, the Sharks kept the home team off the free throw line entirely and forced seven turnovers.

The Fighting Knights went up 37-30 at the start of the second half, taking their largest lead of the game. The Sharks would go on to dominate for a six minute stretch by going on a 17-2 run that took back the lead permanently. Lynn cut the deficit to one point with eight minutes left and stayed within 12 points for the remainder of the game. The Sharks kept the home team at bay by shooting a perfect 21-for-21 from the free throw line in the second half.

The Sharks finished the game shooting 23-for-24 from the foul line, good for 96 percent. After poor shooting in the first half, the Sharks shot 58 percent (14-for-24) in the final period and finished the game with a .462 (24-for-52) field goal percentage. Lemar Dyer (Sr., Miami, Fla.) and Huntington heated up in the second half with a combined 21 points.

Dyer led the Sharks with six assists and stretched his consecutive free throws made streak to 34. Playing in his hometown, Teddy Tassy (Jr., Boca Raton, Fla.) chipped in eight points and one steal. After six consecutive games without attempting a three-pointer, Cody Dennison (So., Newark, Ohio) knocked down two en route to six points.

The Sharks will return home this Saturday, Jan. 22 to face No. 12 Tampa at 4 p.m.