WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The second-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team continues to hit their stride as the regular season winds down, earning their eighth consecutive win – 20th on the season – and defeated the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish 115-96 on Saturday evening in Sunshine State Conference action. MJ Iraldi led the Sharks, scoring 21 points (7-12 FG), grabbed eight rebounds and recorded three steals in the victory, Mike Moore (15 points), Trey Doomes (15), Ryan Walsh (12) and GianFranco Grafals (11) all contributed double-digit points off the bench for the Sharks.
Records: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 20-2, 14-2 SSC | Palm Beach Atlantic 15-10, 9-8 SSC
Score: No. 2 Nova Southeastern 115 | Palm Beach Atlantic 96
Location: Rubin Arena | West Palm Beach, Fla.
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First Half – Palm Beach Atlantic opened the game on a 7-0 run, but the Sharks were took their first lead of the contest following a trio of made threes from Ryan Walsh and Mike Moore, giving NSU a 22-17 advantage. Both the Sharks and Sailfish traded buckets back-and-forth before MJ Iraldi broke the tie with a three-pointer of his own. Isaiah Fuller hit a pair of threes, giving the Sharks a ten-point advantage – 48-38 – with less than five minutes remaining in the half. Trey Doomes scored the final four points of the half for the Sharks, sending the game into the break with NSU leading 59-46 over PBA.
Second Half – Nova Southeastern continued to extend the lead in the early moments of the first half, as Moore knocked down a pair of free throws to give NSU a 71-52 lead. Grafals gave the Sharks a 20-point lead, making a dunk on the fast-break off an assist from Doomes. Midway through the second half, Nova Southeastern continued to hold a large advantage over PBA, as Doomes hit a pair of free throws and put the score at 88-67. Fuller put NSU at 100-points with just under six minutes remaining in the game. NSU sealed their eighth consecutive win, and 20th of the 2023-24 season, defeating Palm Beach Atlantic 115-96.
MJ Iraldi: 21 points, 7-12 FG, eight rebounds, three steals
Mike Moore: 15 points, 5-6 FG. 3-4 3P
Trey Doomes: 15 points, three steals, 5-6 FG
Sunshine State Conference Standings
| 1. | No. 2 Nova Southeastern | 14-2 |
| 2. | Florida Southern | 13-4 |
| 3. | Embry-Riddle | 10-6 |
| 4. | Lynn | 9-7 |
| 5. | Palm Beach Atlantic | 9-8 |
| 6. | Florida Tech | 8-8 |
| 7. | Barry | 7-9 |
| 8. | Eckerd | 7-9 |
No. 2 Nova Southeastern returns to the Shark Tank to host the Barry Buccaneers on Wednesday, February 21st, for Sunshine State Conference action. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
