BOX SCORE

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern men’s basketball team (0-1) dropped its first game of the season in the NSU Tip-Off Classic against Columbus State (2-0), 69-64, Saturday evening at the NSU Arena in the Don Taft University Center.

Teddy Tassy (Sr., Port-au-Prince, Haiti) led all scorers for the Sharks as he recorded 16 points on 4-for-8 shooting and 6-for-6 from the foul line. Lukas Roesch (Jr., Sugar Grove, Ohio) and Justin Jeangerard (Fr., Weaverville, Calif.) each collected a team-high six rebounds.

The Cougars came out and built a lead out the gate as they were up, 21-10, by the ten minute mark of the first half. Despite strong man defense by NSU, the Cougars could not be stopped as they shot over 50 percent from the floor in the opening ten minutes and knocked down three of their first five 3-pointers.

Although the Cougars would lead by as much as 13 in the period, the Sharks kept their deficit from getting out of hand and began to cut into the lead. NSU went on a 19-9 run to bring the deficit to just a point before Columbus St.’s Dimitri Davis sank a circus shot before the end of the first half.

Despite a slow start, the Sharks eventually got their offense going as they shot 43 percent from the floor in the opening half. The Sharks limited mistakes early as they only committed two fouls and kept the Cougars off the free throw line. Louie Schonauer (Jr., Lincoln, Ill.) had a great start to his Shark debut as he collected 10 first-half points on 3-for-5 shooting.

Both teams traded blows at the start of the second half with neither getting out to a fast start. The Cougars eventually retook control of the game as they built a 56-46 lead with 8:40 left on the clock. As they did in the first half, the Sharks chipped away at a double-digit lead and brought it down to a one-possession game with less than a minute remaining.

After a Columbus State turnover with 44 seconds on the clock, the Sharks had a chance to erase a three-point deficit as  Roesch collected an offensive rebound and drained the put back while being fouled. A missed free throw gave the ball back to Columbus State and the Cougars were immediately fouled with 22 seconds remaining. The Cougars’ Winford Ivey missed both free throws but his squad cleaned the glass and drained the put back. On their last opportunity to tie the game, the Sharks committed their 22nd turnover of the night.

In the end, the Sharks shot 44 percent from the floor on 21-for-48 shooting. The rebounding margin was even in the match as each team collected 21 defensive rebounds and 10 offensive boards.

The Sharks will return to action to conclude the NSU Tip-Off Classic Sunday, Nov. 13 as they face Valdosta St. at 4 p.m.

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