Box Score BOX SCORE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Nova Southeastern men’s basketball team (3-2) took down the No. 7 Southern Indiana Eagles (5-1), 77-76, at the Fern Valley Hotel Classic. The Sharks won on a game-winning put-back by senior
Iran Hollis (Hollywood, Fla.).
“This is the best win for NSU since I’ve been here,” said head coach Gary Tuell. “Its pretty neat to be able to beat a top-10 team in front of Denny Crum, former head coach of Louisville. I can’t imagine anything more fun.”
Hollis made a redemption shot, after missing the go-ahead bucket with nine seconds left. However, the ball was stolen by
Brian Cahill (So., Arlington, Va.) after the rebound and the Sharks were able to collect themselves in a timeout.
Justin Jeangerard (So., Weaverville, Calif.) made his team’s first attempt, but watched his challenged layup bounce out. Hollis collected his fifth rebound and put up a leaning fade-away from five feet out go ahead. Hollis secured the win with a steal on the backcourt inbounds pass.
“I feel good, but we are far from done,” said Hollis. “We are all trying to get tough. It’s one thing to say we want to win, but we have to stick with it and work.”
Prior to the final 10 seconds, the game was the breakout-contest for newcomer
Maurice Fuller (So., Westfield, Ind.). Fuller led the Sharks in both points and rebounds with 19 and six, respectively. The career-high point total came on 8-for-11 shooting.
Sean Mullan (Sr., Mangerton, Australia) was the leading playmaker for the Sharks with a career-high five assists.
The Sharks came out strong in the first half and led by six points, 18-12, eight minutes into the contest. Fuller, who had 10 points in the first half, nailed two three’s early to build the lead. The Eagles showed their top-10 talent, going on a 15-0 run to take a nine-point lead.
The Sharks did not throw in the towel, but kept playing within their run-and-gun offense. The Sharks were able to stop the bleeding and make the game a two-possession contest at the break, 38-33.
SIU tried to put the Sharks away early in the next period and held their biggest lead at 49-39 just two and a half minutes into the second half. The Sharks did not have a storm-back run, but slowly chopped away at the lead over the next 11 minutes. Cahill made a layup with six minutes left to tie the game and complete the comeback.
Both teams traded buckets down the stretch, with SIU leading for the majority of the time.
Lukas Roesch (Sr., Sugar Grove, Ohio) helped keep the Sharks in the contest, scoring all 11 of his points in the second half.
The Eagles scored their last field goal on a 3-pointer with 1:24 left to put themselves up by four points. Jeangerard responded by bringing the ball up the floor and quickly draining a 3-pointer of his own. After two free throws for the Eagles, Roesch finished his scoring night with a gutsy layup with 48 seconds left.
The Sharks made a stop on SIU’s last full possession, setting the scene for Hollis’ highlight ending.
Five Sharks scored in double-figures on the night. Hollis finished the night with 11 points, while Jeangerard and Cahill each knocked in 13.
The Sharks will return to Knights Hall on Saturday to face host No. 5 Bellarmine at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcasted live on 640 Sports.
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