Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University men's basketball team (2-2) started off the 2014 Thanksgiving Classic with a win over the visiting Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Tarzans (1-7), 86-75, Friday at the NSU Arena in the Don Taft University Center.
Chris Page (Jr., Plainfield, Ind.) made his season debut Friday and led the Sharks with 19 points on 50 percent shooting from the floor. He recorded team highs with four assists and three steals.
Stian Berg (Sr., Baerum, Norway) and
Harrison Goodrick (So., Sydney, Australia) each shot efficiently, scoring 15 points apiece. Goodrick shot 6-for-7 and Berg went 5-for-8 shooting. NSU was led on the glass by
Justin Jeangerard (Sr., Weaverville, Calif.), who collected nine rebounds and scored five points.
The first half was competitive, with both teams shooting well above average out of the gate. The Tarzans took the first basket in the opening minute on a running layup from Alexander Rivera. That two-point lead would be their largest of the first half, but they would stay with the home team for a majority of the period. NSU shot over 50 percent in the half, but the Tarzans returned volley as long as they could, taking another lead at 34-32 with 5:39 remaining before halftime.
From there, Jeangerard hit a running layup that sparked fire for the home team. NSU went on a 13-4 run that was largely due to multiple stops on the defensive end. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez shot 1-for-10 during NSU's run, shrinking a shooting percentage that had been hovering above 70 percent. At the last second of the first half, Berg drove into the lane and found
Brian Cahill (Sr., Arlington, Va.) to score and give the Sharks a 45-38 halftime lead, their largest to that point.
The second half played out much like the first, with the Tarzans going blow-for-blow with NSU until the final moments of the period. NSU looked strong at the start of the stanza, earning its largest lead at 57-45 with 15:38 remaining. The Tarzans climbed right back into the contest on the back of a 12-2 run and cut the deficit to two points.
NSU stayed ahead on back-to-back 3-pointers from Jeangerard and Goodrick, but a 13-5 Puerto Rico Mayaguez run tied the game at 70 all with 6:14 remaining. Goodrick came through in the clutch again, with four straight points that sparked 11 unanswered points. The Tarzans attempted to shoot their way back in the final two minutes, but couldn't make enough baskets in a limited amount of time.
The Sharks won on an impressive shooting night, ending the night at 53.3 percent (32-for-60) from the floor and 50 percent (14-for-28) from behind the 3-point line. The Sharks also shot 8-for-9 from the free throw line. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez ended the game with a 40.9 percentage (27-for-66) from the floor.
Maurice Fuller (Sr., Westfield, Ind.) and Cahill each scored 12 points in the contest, with three and four rebounds, respectively. Nick Rosa (Fr., Coral Springs, Fla.) had four rebounds and two assists off the bench.
NSU will look to go 2-0 in the Thanksgiving Classic when the Sharks face Seton Hill Saturday at 8 p.m.
