FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The seventh-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men's Basketball team outlasted Eckerd in Sunshine State Conference play, as NSU defeated the Tritons 88-84 on Wednesday evening from the Rick Case Arena. Shane Hunter and Isaiah Hunter, following both being named to the Bevo Francis Award Top-100 Watch List, combined for 31 points in the victory.


Records: No. 7 Nova Southeastern 13-2, 7-2 SSC | Eckerd 9-7, 4-4 SSC
Score: No. 7 Nova Southeastern 88 | Eckerd 84
Location: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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First Half – Both the Sharks and Tritons matched each other shot for shot in the opening minutes of the first half, before Shane Hunter finished an and-one to give NSU an 11-9 lead. A few moments later, Isaiah Fuller went coast-to-coast, starting a fast break opportunity with a steal and hit a lay-up, which put NSU ahead 15-11. At the midway point of the first half, MJ Iraldi tied the game at 23-23 with another fastbreak layup following a steal. Eckerd took a 32-27 lead over NSU, but Alex Mangold halted the Tritons brief run with a three-point bucket. Nova Southeastern withstood the first half charge by Eckerd, closing the half on a 21-9 run, and went into the half with a 51-41 lead.

Second Half – The Sharks continued their surge from the first half, starting the second period on an 18-7 run, which featured points by Mike Moore, GianFranco Grafals, Ryan Walsh, Mangold, Fuller, Hunter and Iraldi, taking a 69-48 lead. Trey Doomes scored back-to-back baskets for the Sharks, adding a block, and extended NSU's advantage to 75-58 over Eckerd with 10 minutes remaining in the half. The Tritons rallied back into the game, putting the score at 82-81 with just over three minutes left in the contest. Ryker Cisarik and Fuller sealed the Sharks' 88-84 victory over Eckerd at the free throw line.  
 

Shane Hunter: 19 points, nine rebounds, 7-16 FG
MJ Iraldi: 16 points, four rebounds, four steals
Isaiah Fuller: 12 points, five assists
Nova Southeastern forced Eckerd to turn the ball over 29 times and outscored the Tritons 35-14 off the errors.
The Sharks bench outscored Eckerd's 34-16.
NSU's transition offense proved to be a difference maker in the contest, as the Sharks outscored Eckerd 30-20 on fast breaks.


No. 7 Nova Southeastern travels to play Saint Leo in Sunshine State Conference action on Saturday, January 20^th. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men's Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram and X at NSU_MBasketball.