FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – For the fourth consecutive season and fifth time under Head Coach Jim Crutchfield, the “Road to Evansville,” and the NCAA Division II Elite Eight will begin at the Rick Case Arena, as the second-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team will host the NCAA South Region Tournament.
Nova Southeastern Men’s Basketball won the program’s fourth consecutive Sunshine State Conference tournament championship earlier today, defeating Florida Southern 103-89 for a NCAA Division II record setting 81st consecutive home court victory, proving that the “Shark Tank” at the Rick Case Arena is among the most challenging venues in all of college basketball for visiting teams.
The Sharks will play host to seven teams from either the Sunshine State Conference (SSC), Gulf South Conference (GSC) and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). The NCAA South Region Tournament field includes – No. 3 Alabama-Huntsville (GSC), No. 13 Valdosta State (GSC), No. 23 Florida Southern (SSC), Lynn (SSC), Montevallo (GSC), Tampa (SSC) and Savannah State (SIAC) with the winner of the tournament advancing to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Evansville, IN.
NSU enters the South Region Tournament as three-time defending champions, winning the 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 tournaments, and riding a 17-game winning streak dating back to January 8th.
The Sharks feature three players that garnered All-Sunshine State Conference honors, in addition to Crutchfield being named the Coach of the Year for the fourth-time in his NSU tenure. MJ Iraldi became the third NSU Men’s Basketball player to be recognized as the SSC Player of the Year and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player on Sunday afternoon. Iraldi became the program’s all-time single season scoring leader in the SSC title game, scoring 27 points, and surpassing Will Yoakum’s record (727) from the 2022-23 NCAA DII National Championship year. Dallas Graziani and Ryker Cisarik, who were both stellar throughout the SSC tournament, both were recognized by the league, earning first-team and second-team honors, as well as all-defensive team nods respectively.
Nova Southeastern will take on the eighth-seeded Savannah State Tigers (SIAC) at the Rick Case Arena on Saturday, March 15th. Tip-off will be announced later in the week. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men’s Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_MBasketball.
