FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The game on Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. will be more than just a game, it will a step to find a cure for breast cancer as the Nova Southeastern University women’s basketball team (13-11, 5-9 SSC) has designated its matchup with Lynn University (11-13, 5-9 SSC) as its Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Pink Zone game.

The WBCA Pink Zone® initiative is a global, unified effort for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond.

History
The WBCA began the WBCA Pink Zone in 2007 as an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness in women's basketball, on campuses and in communities. The late Kay Yow, former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, served as the catalyst for the initiative after her third reoccurrence of breast cancer in 2006.

Donation Information
The WBCA's charity of choice is the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, in partnership with the WBCA and The V Foundation.

Fans can donate online HERE.

All fans can also make checks payable to the ‘Kay Yow Cancer Fund' and send them to the address listed below. In addition, designate on the memo line that the check is part of the WBCA Pink Zone initiative.
Kay Yow Cancer Fund
Attn: Megan Smith
PO Box 3369
Cary, NC 27519-3369

Text to Give
Are you looking for an easy way to raise funds for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund during in-arena WBCA Pink Zone promotions? It's simple! Just text ‘4KAY' to 85944 to make a $10 donation to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

About NSU
The Sharks are coming off three straight disappointing conference losses. After knocking off then top-seeded Florida Tech on their home court, the Sharks have struggled to carry that momentum forward.

Despite the leadership of Stephanie Sarosi (Mims, Fla.) and Abbie Tepe (Cincinnati, Ohio), who have been carrying the team in the later half of the season, NSU has failed to get much needed wins.

Sarosi finished with a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds in the Sharks 21-point loss to Tampa on Jan. 19. Tepe contributed 12 points and freshman Richelle Carach (Naples, Fla.) added 10 points off the bench.

Starter and rookie Jasmine Wilkins (Miami, Fla.) has been a key contributor on the boards with Sarosi. Sarosi, a 6-5 center, has averaged 8.9 rebounds per game but Wilkins is not far behind with 6.1

Junior transfer Quinessa Johnson (West Chester, Ohio) does a bit of everything for the Sharks. She has hit key shots, while also fighting the offensive boards enough to sit eighth in the conference at 2.3 a game.

Junior Jada Buckner (Loudon, Tenn.) has been NSU’s go-to for the three point shot. She has made 31 for 36 percent on the season.

About Lynn
Lynn has posted five conference wins including a 64-56 win over the Sharks on Jan. 19. The Fighting Knights have swept Saint Leo (52-39, 61-53) while also getting single victories over Barry (76-53) and Eckerd (74-73).

Chelsea Patterson has been the anchor for Lynn’s offensive, scoring 16.7 points per game, right behind Sarosi in the SSC. Marquis Lee, who has not started in the last four games, is averaging in double figures with 11.5 ppg.

Senior Quanisha Dixon set career-highs for points and steals and fell one rebound shy of a triple-double as Lynn secured a 76-53 victory over Barry on Feb. 19.

The Fighting Knights are not overpowering any of their opponents in any particular statistical category. They are third in conference play with 9.9 steals per game and sit fourth with a 71 percent free-throw percentage, even though they allow their opposition to make 42 percent of its field goals.

The Series vs. Lynn
In the last game between the two teams, NSU worked all the way back to cut Lynn’s lead to three in the closing minute but was unable to complete the full comeback as the Sharks fell to the Fighting Knights, 64-56 on Jan. 19.

Buckner led the team with 13 points, while Sarosi and Tepe added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

On Lynn’s side, Patterson was the game leader with 17 points. Lee and Tashina Bailey combined with 25 points with 15 and 10, respectively.

The game will mark the 23rd meeting as the Fighting Knights currently have a 13-9 advantage over the Sharks.

Sunshine State Conference Standings
Sitting tied for sixth with Lynn, this game will be a key determining factor for the location of the first round of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament for the Sharks.

If NSU can defeat the Fighting Knights and the Moccasins of Florida Southern, the Sharks will secure the No. 6 seed in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament.

The one through five seeds are still up in the air with many of the top-seeds playing each other on Wednesday and Saturday.

2010-11 SSC Women's Basketball Standings Conference Pct. Overall Pct. 1. Fla. Southern 12-2 .857 20-4 .833 2. Tampa 11-3 .786 19-5 .792 3. Florida Tech 10-4 .714 21-5 .808 4. Rollins 8-6 .571 20-6 .769 5. Eckerd 8-7 .533 15-10 .600 6. NSU 5-9 .357 13-11 .542 7. Lynn 5-9 .357 11-13 .458 8. Barry 4-11 .267 11-14 .440 9. Saint Leo 1-13 .071 9-16 .360

Marketing and Promotions for Wednesday
The Pink Zone night will be in support of Breast Cancer Awareness and in concordance with the Fort Lauderdale/Miami Chapter of the Komen for the Cure foundation, the Department of Athletics will be honoring all cancer survivors and all those who have been affected by this disease during the game.

The Nova Southeastern Marketing Department with be handing out 250 T-shirts at the women’s game and the graduate level Shark Pride will also be giving out shirts during the game.

Finatics will be raffling off two Lady Gaga box seat tickets for all fans in attendance who donates a dollar at the door.

Delta Phi Epsilon will be sponsoring “Holler for a Dollar”, where each NSU organization has the chance to win $100 for bringing the most fans and showing the most spirit.

Sharks fans will be able to donate a dollar to Pink Zone in order to take a half court shot during half time of each game. The first fan to make a shot at each at half will win a Wiz Khalifa concert ticket for April 19th in the NSU Arena and any contestant who makes a shot after can win $25 dollars towards Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza and/or Best Buy.

Undergraduate admissions will be hosting the game along with special guests the Directors of Student Educational Centers. Attendees will be able to pick up beads, posters, and pink ribbons.

Live Video (Click HERE) and Live stats (Click HERE) will be available for the 5:30 p.m. game. Also follow NSU Basketball through Twitter at www.twitter.com/NSUSharks.