FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Tampa has been a tough team to figure out in the recent weeks. While the Spartans knocked off No. 7 Barry at home on January 18, head coach Richard Schmidt's club has also dropped three of its previous four ball games including a 72-62 defeat its last time out against Palm Beach Atlantic. Nova Southeastern will attempt to solve the Spartans Wednesday, and send them to yet another loss when both programs face off in Fort Lauderdale at 7:30 p.m. ET.
 
The Sharks will certainly need a much better start this time around after digging themselves into a costly hole the first time both teams met earlier this season in mid-November. Harrison Goodrick finished with 18 points in the effort to go along with a career-high 16 points from point guard BJ Edwards. However, the Spartans hit seven three-pointers less than nine minutes into the contest to jump out to a wide 31-11 advantage before eventually claiming a 98-78 victory over Nova Southeastern.
 
Forward Gerard Tarin tallied just four points and four rebounds in the matchup, but has visibly raised his level of play throughout the Sharks' latest stretch of games. Over the course of the past four contests, the junior has averaged a double-double with 15.0 points and 10.5 rebounds, registering a 25-point performance versus Eckerd in the process.
 
Tarin will be counted on defensively to help slow the tandem of Marcel Robinson and Duke Shelton on Wednesday. Both players rank among the top-three on the Spartans in scoring, recording 14.5 and 14.3 points per game. In the previous meeting with the Sharks, though, the two combined for 41 points and 12 rebounds – 26 of those points by way of Robinson.
 
The Tampa forward posted a shade over 10 points per game a year ago, however has lifted the Spartan offense as a junior – especially as of late. Robinson paved the way in the Spartans' 88-80 upset over Barry with a game-high 22 points, and has now averaged 20.4 points per game in each of their last five wins.
 
Wednesday's contest will be filled with promotional events and giveaways, notably free tacos as a part of the Sharks' "Taco Wednesday" in addition to free "Just Win" T-shirts to the first 150 fans in the door.
 
David Halberstam will have the call live from Rick Case Arena. For complete coverage of the action, log onto NSUSharks.com or follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_MBasketball.