640 SPORTS | LIVE STATS
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern men’s basketball team (2-2) is set to compete in the 2012 Fern Valley Hotel Classic this weekend in Louisville, Ky. The Sharks will face the No. 7 Southern Indiana Eagles (5-0) on Friday at 5 p.m. before facing the host institution, No. 5 Bellarmine Knights, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Both games will be broadcasted live on 640 Sports.
The Sharks are in the middle of one of their toughest stretch of games this season. The four-game run, for which head coach
Gary Tuell has called the toughest for any NCAA Division-II team this season, started in the Sharks’ Thanksgiving Classic against Charleston, a perennial NCAA Tournament contender. The Sharks allowed their opponents to shoot 54 percent from 3-point range and lost, 81-68.
17 days later, the Sharks took on Sunshine State Conference favorites Saint Leo on the road. The defense made huge strides, holding the Lions to 41 percent shooting, but NSU was plagued by 22 turnovers and lost, 72-55. The road only gets tougher, as both of the Sharks’ opponents this weekend are regarded as two of the ten best teams in D-II.
As stated recently on the 640 Sports’ Sharks Sports Wrap, Tuell is not measuring his team by wins and losses during this stretch. The key for the Sharks this weekend is to continue to develop offensively and play a more efficient “Princeton” style offense. On the other end, NSU will have a chance to test its defense against two teams that average over a 50 percent shooting mark.
At 2-2, the Sharks have relied heavily on the 3-point shot (NSU attempted 28 against Saint Leo) with regular success. Four Sharks are shooting at least 41 percent from downtown, led by
Stian Berg (So., Baerum, Norway) and
Justin Jeangerard (So., Weaverville, Calif.), who are shooting 55 and 53 percent, respectively. That four does not count proven shooters in
Sean Mullan (Sr., Mangerton, Australia) and
Maurice Fuller (So., Westfield, Ind.). Mullan was third for NSU in 3-point shooting last season, while Fuller shot 46 percent from 3-point range on 160 attempts as a freshman at Oakland City.
That NSU strength will be tested this weekend, as both opponents have held opponents to under 37 percent from beyond the arc.
After this weekend, the Sharks will face Morningside and Blue Mountain in the annual Cruzin Classic to close out the calendar year. A win, or two big upsets this weekend, could give the Sharks’ valuable momentum and confidence heading into 2013.
Fans can listen to the game live on 640 Sports. The game will also be available via live stats
HERE. Follow the Sharks on Twitter at
www.Twitter.com/NSUSharks.
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