TAMPA, Fla. – Fresh off being re-named the top-ranked team in NCAA Division II, and claiming the program’s third consecutive Sunshine State Conference regular season title, the No. 1 Nova Southeastern Sharks Men’s Basketball team defeated the Tampa Spartans 103-69 on Wednesday evening from the Bob Martinez Center in SSC action. Ryker Cisarik led the Sharks in the effort, recording his second double-double of the season by tying his season-high with 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Score: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 103 | Tampa 69
Records: No. 1 Nova Southeastern 23-2, 17-2 SSC | Tampa 8-19, 4-15 SSC
Location: Bob Martinez Athletics Center | Tampa, Fla.
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First Half – The Sharks opened the game on an 8-2 run, as Shane Hunter, Ryker Cisarik, and Isaiah Fuller each recorded buckets in the opening minutes. A brief run by the Spartans was halted by a three-point bucket from Mike Moore, putting the score at 11-8. An and-one bucket by MJ Iraldi, followed by a Cisarik three-pointer, extended the Nova Southeastern advantage to 27-21 near the midway point of the opening half. A 13-2 run by the Sharks, spanning three minutes of game action, put the score at 37-23 in favor of NSU. Both teams traded baskets back-and-forth for the remainder of the first half, but the Sharks were able to steal some momentum in the final minutes, as Ryan Walsh knocked down a three-pointer and Ryan Davis closed the opening half with a steal and a fast-break layup to beat the buzzer and sent Nova Southeastern into halftime leading 52-38.
Second Half – Iraldi and Fuller got the Sharks on the board first in the second half with a pair of fast-break buckets set up by blocks by Hunter. A pair of free throws by Tampa put the score at 64-53, the Sharks slimmest margin for the remainder of the game, but a three-point bucket by Iraldi pushed NSU ahead by 14. An Alex Mangold three-pointer, followed by a jumper by GianFranco Grafals, gave Nova Southeastern a 76-55 lead at the midway point of the second half. NSU closed the game with a 27-14 run over the final nine minutes, finishing out the 103-69 victory over the Spartans.
Ryker Cisarik: 20 points, 5-6 FG, 2-2 3PT, 8-8 FT, 10 rebounds, two blocks, one steal
Isaiah Fuller: 18 points, three rebounds
MJ Iraldi: 10 points, six rebounds, two steals, one block
Shane Hunter: 10 points, six rebounds, three blocks, one steal
The No. 1 Nova Southeastern Sharks conclude their regular season on Saturday, March 2nd, with the final Sunshine State Conference regular season game of the 2023-24 campaign against Saint Leo at the Rick Case Arena. Prior to the game, Nova Southeastern Athletics will honor the senior class of Isaiah Fuller, Shane Hunter, Trey Doomes, GianFranco Grafals and Mike Moore.
