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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Nova Southeastern men's basketball team (1-1) will face its toughest test so far this season as they travel to West Palm Beach, Fla. Thursday, Nov. 17 to play Northwood (1-0), the No. 1 team in the NAIA, at 7 p.m.

This past weekend the Sharks competed in the NSU Tip-Off Classic and went 1-1, losing to Columbus State, 69-64, and defeating Valdosta State, 88-77. The win over VSU was impressive, considering the Blazers' dominant size and the loss of the Sharks' three potential starters. The Sharks were led by Teddy Tassy, who earned Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week, and Lukas Roesch (Jr., Sugar Grove, Ohio), who had a career-best 23-point game against VSU. As good as the win against VSU looked on paper, the challenge paled in comparison to Thursday's game. 

“Things don’t get easier Thursday," said head coach Gary Tuell. "In fact, as good as Columbus State and Valdosta State were, we expect Northwood to be even better. They are ranked No. 1 in the nation in the NAIA and have a couple of All-Americans and a team full of veterans with experience. They lost 89-84 at Maryland – that’s ACC Maryland! – and they upset Division I Fordham at Fordham. 

"Having had some experience coaching in the Florida Sun Conference when I was at St. Thomas University, and having had the opportunity to compete in the NAIA, I have great respect for those programs and the high caliber of talent that exists at many of those schools. Certainly Northwood University represents the best of the best, not only in the FSC but also in the NAIA. They have a Hall of Fame coach in Rollie Massimino who won the NCAA championship at Villanova in 1985.  They have an All-American in Jonathan Dunn and they probably have as good a starting five as any team we’ll face this year."

The Sharks enter a tough situation as they are not only playing the best NAIA squad in the nation, they are traveling to their facility. In 2011-12, the Sharks will be the only SSC school that takes the risk of traveling to play an FSC school on the road. As Tuell stated, games against FSC opponents are no "gimmies." SSC schools are 2-1 against the FSC as Tampa was blown out by Southeastern in the Spartans' home opener, 66-45.

"We’re excited about the opportunity to see Coach Massimino again and to compete against such an outstanding team on their home court," said Tuell. "When I looked at their schedule I didn’t see any other Sunshine State Conference teams, much less one that was willing to play them on their floor. But I have long believed that the best way to prepare for conference play is to compete against the best teams you can put on your schedule. We did that this weekend by opening up with Columbus State and Valdosta State and we’ll do it again by going into a difficult environment at West Palm Beach to face Northwood. 

"Games on the road like this will help us when we’re on the road against some of the tough teams in the SSC.  We have another tough road game against an outstanding University of West Georgia squad later this month, so hopefully these kind of road games in November will pay off for us once we get into our own league road games."

Fans can follow the Sharks in their first road game via Northwood's UStream channel HERE. Follow the men's basketball team on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/NSU_MBasketball. 

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