Box Score

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern men’s basketball team (12-14, 5-11 SSC) honored five seniors who played in their final game at the NSU Arena in the Don Taft University Center before losing on a last-second fade away three-pointer against the Florida Southern Mocs (21-7, 12-4 SSC) Saturday, 104-103.

However, the Sharks clinched the seventh seed in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament and will play a rematch against the second seeded FSC Mocs in the first round.

Seniors Alex Gynes (Nowra, Australia), Max Papendieck (Adelaide, Australia), Lemar Dyer (Sr., Miami, Fla.), John Brooks (Perris, Calif.) and Ross Allsop (Sydney, Australia), who started the game with a cast on his shooting hand, were all honored prior to the game for their commitment to the NSU basketball program and the University.

With only nine players healthy, the Sharks put forth their greatest offensive performance in a SSC game this season. Saturday marked the first time in which the Sharks scored over 100 points in an SSC contest, with the previous high being 97 points scored against Tampa on Feb. 3, 2010. The Sharks dropped 51 points in the first half, the most first half points NSU has scored in their NCAA era. The Sharks drained 14 three-pointers in the game, one short of the program record.

Brooks led the team with 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the floor and 5-for-8 from three-point range. Gynes added 21 points on 50 percent shooting (8-for-16) along with nine rebounds and two assists. As the only natural post player healthy for NSU, Lukas Roesch (Sugar Grove, Ohio) made the best of his 30 minutes with a team-high 11 rebounds along with 14 points. He also doubled his previous career-high in blocks with four.

During senior night festivities, it was announced that Brooks was one of the nation’s elite three-point shooters. He proved it to the crowd in the first half going 5-for-7 from beyond the arc en route to 21 points in the period. Brooks paced the Sharks as they slowly took control of the opening half. NSU trailed, 14-12, before taking the lead with a 12-3 run. FSC answered back with a 10-2 run, bringing the score to 27-26 just nine minutes into the game.

NSU controlled the rest of the first half by outscoring the Mocs, 25-19, until the break. The Sharks shot 51 percent (17-for-33) from the field and 47 percent (7-for-15) from three-point range in the first half.

The Mocs scored five quick points out of the gate in the second half to tie the game. The two teams traded blows over the first eight minutes of the period until the Sharks began pulling away. With the score tied at 66, the Sharks went on a 15-3 run. NSU would lead by as much as 13 points before FSC made their comeback.

The Sharks led, 97-87, with 4:23 remaining when the Mocs shot themselves back into the contest. NSU shot 1-for-5 from the floor in the final four minutes, allowing FSC to tie the game on a Terry Jenkins three-pointer with 37 seconds left. The Sharks worked the clock until Papendieck was fouled and sent to the free throw line with eight seconds to go. Papendieck drained two clutch free throws to put his team ahead before the final possession.

The Shark defense did their job on the final possession by forcing a bad shot. Unfortunately, Jenkins heaved a last second three-pointer while fading away from the right corner to drain the game-winner. 

Teddy Tassy (Jr., Port au Prince, Haiti) was instrumental for the Sharks in the second half by scoring 11 of his 16 points.

Dyer had a solid senior night as he recorded a team-best eight assists. Dyer went 7-for-9 from the free throw line and finished the game with nine points. 

Jacob Reed (Fr., Perth, Australia) had a career-best night as he scored eight points on 3-for-3 shooting along with two rebounds and two assists. Papendieck and Cody Dennison (So., Newark, Ohio) each scored six points. Papendieck also pulled down four rebounds while Dennison recorded a career-high five assists.

With NSU, Barry, and Lynn finishing in a three-way tie at 5-11 in the conference, the Sharks will take the seventh seed in the SSC Tournament and play a rematch against the second seeded Mocs on Wednesday, Mar. 2 in Lakeland, Fla.