EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In a story fit for Hollywood, the No. 1 Nova Southeastern Sharks Men's Basketball team has reached the final destination in their journey for the program's first NCAA National Championship. The top-ranked Sharks, led by Head Coach Jim Crutchfield, will take on the NSU's bench-boss's former team, the second-seeded West Liberty Hilltoppers in the title game on Saturday afternoon.

Coach Crutchfield - "It's an interesting matchup, we play the exact same style and philosophy. West Liberty has been playing incredible basketball, both here and leading up to the tournament. I still watch them play. We're looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to play for the national title."

HOW THEY GOT HERE
No. 1 Nova Southeastern (35-0) will play in the NCAA Division II National Championship game for the first time in program history, after defeating fourth-seed Cal. State, San Bernardino 94-87 on Thursday evening in the Final Four. Kobe Rodgers delivered an incredible, gutsy performance, leading NSU with 21 points, two steals and the game-sealing block. All five starters for the top-ranked Sharks scored in double figures.

The Hilltoppers (33-3) are coached by Ben Howlett, a former player at West Liberty, who starred under Jim Crutchfield. Howlett has continued the winning tradition of WLU Basketball, leading the program to its 14^th consecutive NCAA tournament. The Hilltoppers, winners of 18 straight contests, defeated Black Hills 87-82 in the Final Four.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
No. 1 Nova Southeastern currently leads NCAA Men's Basketball in wins with 35.

The top-ranked Sharks enter the national championship game leading Division II in points-per-game (102.5). This is the second time in NCAA Division II history where the nation's top scoring team will play in the championship game (2014, West Liberty).

RJ Sunahara and Bryce Butler, two Bevo Francis finalists, will face-off in the national championship game. Sunahara, the Sunshine State Conference and South Region Player of the Year, leads the Sharks, while Butler – the Mountain East Conference and Atlantic Region Player of the Year – headlines the Hilltoppers.

Will Yoakum, one of the most decorated West Liberty players, has had an exceptional season for the Sharks and has Nova Southeastern on the brink of a national title. He'll have to go through his former team, but Yoakum has been exceptional throughout the Sharks playoff run. The guard is averaging 24.9 points and 4.9 rebounds, while shooting 54% from the field and 55% from beyond the arc.

Crutchfield is the 3^rd coach to take two different schools to the championship. (Ron Shumate, SEMO and Chattanooga; Bill Jones, Jacksonville St. and North Alabama)

HOW TO WATCH
The No. 1 Nova Southeastern Sharks take on No. 2 West Liberty in the NCAA Division II National Championship from the Ford Center at 3 p.m. ET. The title game will be broadcasted live on CBS.