FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A win 1,838 days in the making. The second-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team set NCAA Division II history winning their 81st consecutive home game and won the Sunshine State Conference tournament title for the fourth consecutive year, defeating the No. 23 Florida Southern Moccasins 103-89 on Sunday afternoon at the Rick Case Arena. MJ Iraldi, the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year, earned Tournament Most Valuable Player honors, scoring a team-high 27 points, while adding nine rebounds, six assists, six steals and a pair of blocks in the victory. Dallas Graziani recorded his 15th double-double of the season, scoring 23 points with 11 assists and adding five steals, also earned all-tournament team honors and was joined by Ryker Cisarik, who scored 20 points and added 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.
Head Coach Jim Crutchfield has now set two NCAA Division II records as the Sharks bench boss, having also set the consecutive regular season wins record (11/13/2021 – 1/3/2024) during the 2023-24 season.
MJ Iraldi set the NSU Men’s Basketball single season scoring record on Sunday, breaking Will Yoakum’s record (727) from the 2022-23 NCAA Division II National Championship season for the Sharks.
The Sharks have now won 30 games for the fourth consecutive season and have gone 129-5 during that time span.
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
MJ Iraldi – Most Valuable Player, Nova Southeastern
Ryker Cisarik – Nova Southeastern
Alex Steen – Florida Southern
Dallas Graziani – Nova Southeastern
Jadin Booth – Florida Southern
Leo Beath – Lynn
Records:No. 2 Nova Southeastern 30-1 | No. 23 Florida Southern 25-8
Score: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 103 | No. 23 Florida Southern 89
Location: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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First Half – In the third match-up of the season between the two Sunshine State Conference rivals, the Sharks and Mocs began the game by exchanging buckets back-and-forth. Florida Southern out to an early 15-7 lead over NSU, as first-team All-Sunshine State Conference honoree Jadin Booth made three consecutive three-pointers. MJ Iraldi showed why he was named the SSC Player of the Year, responding with six consecutive points for the Sharks, cutting the deficit to 15-13. Tyler Eberhart scored six straight points for the Sharks, but the Mocs continued to hold onto their lead. With less than eight minutes remaining in the first half, Florida Southern led 38-26 over NSU, but the Sharks answered with a 26-7 run to close out the half. During the run, Ryker Cisarik and Iraldi each netted a three-point bucket, with Iraldi’s tying the game at 40-40. In the final two minutes, Dallas Graziani nailed a three-pointer, before Ross Reeves added a fast-break lay-up, and Iraldi closed the half – and sent the Finatics into a frenzy – beating the buzzer with a three-pointer, as after trailing by 12 points, Nova Southeastern went into the break leading 52-45.
Second Half – The Sharks continued to hold on to the lead in the opening minutes of the second half, Reeves continued making an impact, hitting a lay-up and then assisting a Graziani three-pointer, putting NSU ahead 59-51. The Mocs rallied to tie the game with a 10-2 run, but a converted and-one opportunity from Iraldi promptly halted the Florida Southern momentum, putting the Sharks in front 64-61. Eberhart scored eight points for Nova Southeastern, which set up 12-5 run for the Sharks, giving NSU a 78-70 advantage with just over eight minutes remaining. Graziani and Cisarik each hit a dagger three-pointer, giving NSU a 95-81 lead late in the title game. The Sharks sealed the program’s fourth consecutive Sunshine State Conference tournament title and set the NCAA Division II record for consecutive home victories, defeating No. 23 Florida Southern 103-89.
MJ Iraldi: 27 points, nine rebounds, six assists, six steals
Dallas Graziani: 23 points, 11 assists (15th double-double of season)
Ryker Cisarik: 20 points, 11 rebounds (sixth double-double of season)
Tyler Eberhart: 19 points, 50% FG
No. 2 Nova Southeastern will host the NCAA South Region Tournament at the Rick Case Arena next weekend. The NCAA Division II selection show will be live at 11 p.m., click here to watch. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball. To support the NSU Men’s Basketball team, click here.
