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Nova Southeastern University Athletics

OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Sekou Sylla Celebration
94
Winner Nova Southeastern Nova 25-0,19-0 Sunshine State
85
Embry-Riddle (FL) ERAU 21-8,13-6 Sunshine State
Winner
Nova Southeastern Nova
25-0,19-0 Sunshine State
94
Final
85
Embry-Riddle (FL) ERAU
21-8,13-6 Sunshine State
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Nova Southeastern Nova 46 48 94
Embry-Riddle (FL) ERAU 40 45 85

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Sharks Become SSC’s First with Perfect Regular Season

No. 1 NSU caps undefeated regular season with 94-85 win at Embry-Riddle

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference had yet to see one of its member schools run the table for an entire regular season…until Saturday. Behind a pair of double-doubles by both Nick Smith and Sekou Sylla, the top-ranked Nova Southeastern men's basketball team collected a 94-85 road win at Embry-Riddle to cap the league's first-ever perfect regular season with a 25-0 record.

With the SSC regular season title already in hand, the Sharks will now turn their attention towards the SSC Tournament, set to begin inside the Rick Case Arena on Tues., Mar. 1 at 7 p.m. against Florida Tech.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Score: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 94, Embry-Riddle 85
Records: No. 1 Nova Southeastern (25-0, 20-0 SSC), Embry-Riddle (21-8, 14-6 SSC)
Location: ICI Center | Daytona Beach, Fla.
Get Social: Twitter - @NSU_MBasketball | Instagram - @NSU_MBasketball

HOW IT HAPPENED:
1st Half | The Sharks struggled from the outside to begin the ball game, missing each of their first seven three-point attempts, yet would find success attacking the paint as Sylla scored the team's opening eight points to give the visitors an early 8-5 edge. The NSU offense would come up empty for a stretch of 3:48 until a made hook shot by Shane Hunter kept the Sharks in front 14-11 at the 12:07 mark. Nick Smith would find quite the rhythm from beyond the arc, connecting from deep on three straight NSU possessions to run the margin to 23-18. Another triple, this time by Jonathan Pierre, stretched the cushion to 30-22 before it hit the double-digit plateau for the first time with 6:30 left following a pair of Sylla free throws. The lead would extend to as many as 12 as the Sharks held the Eagles scoreless for a span of 3:31, and sat at nine in the closing moments of the half, until an off-balance, banked three-pointer at the buzzer by ERAU narrowed the gap to 46-40 heading into the break.   

2nd Half | ERAU tallied the first five points coming out of the locker room to pull within one. A timely three-pointer, though, by Mike Moore the next time down the floor quieted the crowd. Smith followed with a trey of his own on the ensuing NSU possession as the Sharks ripped off an 8-0 spurt within a 1:12 span to reopen a 54-45 advantage. The margin stood at 10 when a momentum-shifting, five-point swing occurred, with the Eagles missing a dunk on one end and the Sharks cashing in with another Moore triple on the other to build the lead to 67-54, the largest of the ball game at that point. ERAU put some pressure on the Sharks, trimming the margin to 75-69 with 8:07 to play. However, as they have all year, the Sharks responded in a big way, getting back-to-back three's by Smith and Eddie Puisis to push the lead back out to 12. An Eagles' three-pointer with 1:12 showing on the clock made it an 88-82 contest. ERAU would have a chance to make it a one-possession ball game on its next offensive possession, yet missed an open look from beyond the arc, as the Sharks were then able to ice the game at the foul line.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
  • In going 20-0 in SSC play, the Sharks earned each league win by an average of 18.5 points per game.
  • Saturday marks the second time head coach Jim Crutchfield has guided a team to an undefeated regular season, doing so while at West Liberty back in 2010-11.
STATS OF THE NIGHT:
  • With 24 points and 11 boards in the victory, Sylla has now registered four straight double-doubles and 16 overall this season.
  • Smith set a new season high in points with 22 on 5-of-8 from deep to go along with six rebounds, 10 assists and zero turnovers.
  • Right at his season average, Puisis finished with 15 points, while Moore and RJ Sunahara each chipped in with 12 apiece.
  • NSU limited ERAU to 31.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
  • The Sharks made 22 of their 25 attempts from the free throw line.
UP NEXT:
NSU will open SSC Tournament action at home next Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Florida Tech. The winner of the quarterfinal matchup will then face the winner of Florida Southern/Tampa in the SSC semifinal round on Thursday. For complete coverage of the action, visit the schedule page on NSUSharks.com or follow the Sharks on Instagram and Twitter at @NSU_MBasketball.

 
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