FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The third-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men's Basketball team improved to a perfect 10-0 on the 2022-23 season defeating Bluefield State 122-104 on Monday afternoon from the Rick Case Arena.
RJ Sunahara scored a career-best 41 points, which is good for third all-time in NSU history for points in a single-game.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Score: No. 3 Nova Southeastern 122, Bluefield State 104
Records: No. 3 Nova Southeastern 10-0, 3-0 SSC | Bluefield State 3-9
Location: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half – The Sharks got off to a hot start offensively, opening the game on an 8-0 run in the first minute of play. Sunahara pushed the Sharks ahead 24-14 and had ten points in less than five minutes. Midway through the first half, NSU led 35-20. Moments later, Sunahara put Nova Southeastern ahead 20-points (42-22), as the Sharks continued their early momentum. NSU went into the halftime break leading 59-41 over the Big Blue.
Second Half – In the second half, the Sharks extended the lead to a 25-point advantage, leading 76-51 with 16:40 remaining. Bluefield State, facing such a large deficit, began launching three-pointers and hit six consecutive as a team to cut the Sharks lead to 94-85 with less than 10 minutes remain in the contest. Following the aggressive offensive charge by the Big Blue, the Sharks held off the momentum and rallied for a 12-0 run to reclaim a 20+ point advantage at 106-85. Nova Southeastern closed out the 122-104 win, earning their 10
th consecutive victory.
STATS OF THE NIGHT
Six Sharks scored double digit points, including all five starters:
RJ Sunahara (41),
Dallas Graziani (18),
Will Yoakum (17),
Kobe Rodgers (15),
Jonathan Pierre (14) and
Lukas Speidel (13)
The Sharks dominated inside the paint, scoring 84 points.
UPCOMING
No. 3 Nova Southeastern will return to the courts following the holiday break on Thursday, December 29, hosting Florida Tech from the Rick Case Arena. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
