FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.  - Dallas Graziani led the way with 21 points and seven assists, Ross Reeves added 19, and #1 Nova Southeastern won its 101st consecutive home game to advance to the SSC Championship with a 94-77 victory over Barry University. Ryan Davis added 18 points, Bennett Kayser contributed 14 off the bench and Jaxon Nap added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Sharks. 



Score: #1 Nova Southeastern 94 | Barry 77
Records: #1 Nova Southeastern 26-1 (20-1 SSC)| Barry 17-13 (11-10 SSC)
Location: Crutchfield Court at Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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The Sharks scored on each of their first three possessions, as Ross Reeves, Eli Allen and Dallas Graziani got them off to a 7-6 start. However, the Buccaneers continued trading baskets and later took a 14-13 lead on a Marko Serenac three-pointer. The Sharks responded with a 9-0 run, going up 22-14 on a three from Reeves and a putback from Ryan Davis to force a Barry timeout with 11:41 remaining. The Bucs stayed within striking distance, as Breno Silva was fouled on two consecutive three-point attempts, and he made all six free throws to cut NSU's lead to 25-20. 

After offsetting technical fouls, Jaxon Nap scored six of the Sharks' next eight points, and they went ahead 37-28 with just under six minutes remaining. The Bucs cut the deficit to five after a 7-3 mini spurt, but Reeves drilled another three-pointer to go up 43-35 with just over two minutes on the clock. Davis knocked down yet another three, and NSU nursed a 50-41 lead going into the break.

The game was tight coming out of the half, but Nap's and-one and Graziani's midrange jumper gave the Sharks a 57-48 lead, forcing another Buccaneer timeout. The Bucs got a score from Tarrance Warren, but the Sharks responded with a basket from Bennett Kayser, a steal on the inbound from Graziani and a layup from Bobby Rosenberger III to go up nine. NSU pushed the lead back out to double digits after consecutive threes from Reeves and Graziani, bringing the lead to 70-60 with just under 10 minutes remaining. 

The Sharks took a 13-point lead on two free throws from Davis and maintained a 77-64 advantage at the under-8 timeout. They extended the lead to 86-69 after a putback from Kayser and two free throws from Reeves. Kayser hit another pullup jumper to push the lead past 20 points with 3:06 remaining, and Barry never threatened again. Eli Allen knocked down two free throws to provide the final margin, and NSU won 94-77.



Dallas Graziani: 21 points, seven assists, four rebounds
Ross Reeves: 19 points, four assists
Ryan Davis: 18 points, seven rebounds
Bennett Kayser: 14 points
Jaxon Nap: 11 points, 10 rebounds, three assists



The Sharks advance to the SSC title game for the fifth straight year. Their record improves to 26-1, with a 20-1 mark in conference. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men's Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram and Twitter/X at NSU_MBasketball.