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Tipoff Classic Central
Live Video/Audio | Live Stats
Game Notes
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 4 Nova Southeastern women's basketball team tips off the 2013-14 season with two of its toughest games on the docket, bringing in top-25 squads in Stonehill and Washburn for the 2013 NSU Tipoff Classic.
The two-day, four-team showcase features the Sharks, 23-9 a year ago; fellow Sunshine State Conference school Barry; and two top out-of-conference foes in No. 7 Stonehill and No. 22 Washburn. The home team will face Washburn first, Saturday at noon, and then Stonehill the following day at the same tip time. Barry will flip-flop, playing Stonehill first, Saturday at 2 p.m., and wraps up the classic Sunday at 2 with Washburn.
NSU's first opponent, No. 22 Washburn, went 23-6 a year ago and was eliminated in the first round of the Central Region Tournament. The Ichabods finished the year ranked No. 14 in the nation, but do not return any of their five starters from that squad. Their top scorer back is junior guard Casyn Buchman at 5.3 points per game.
On Sunday, the Sharks will host another 2012-13 NCAA Tournament team in No. 7 Stonehill. Though the Skyhawks lost in the East Regional second round, they had a 24-5 season and a final ranking of No. 11, one slot ahead of NSU. The team is almost directly opposite the Ichabods in that they return all five starters, including honorable mention All-American Mary Louise Dixon, who averaged 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists a year ago.
NSU's 2013-14 roster features eight letterwinners back from last year's 10-player rotation including a preseason honorable mention All-American of their own in Danielle Robinson (Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), the team's top returning scorer at 14.1 points per game.
Two more starters from last year are back in guards Amanda Burakoski (Sr., Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Jessica Russi (Sr., Lake Mary, Fla.). Burakoski, a member of the SSC All-Newcomer team, put up 12.7 points a game last season. Russi led all of the SSC in assists at 5.2 per contest.
In addition to the eight players back, Jasmine Wilkins (Sr., Miami) makes her return from injury after missing all of last season. To read about all the players on the Sharks' 2013-14 roster and much more, click HERE to view the women's Shark Digital Guide.
Live stats and streaming audio/video for both NSU matchups will be available at about 11:55 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
For the latest NSU news and results, be sure to visit www.NSUSharks.com. To have results sent directly to your cell phone via text message, sign up for SMS text message delivery by clicking here. For the latest news, be sure to sign up for the Shark Alert E-newsletter by clicking here.
