FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - In a rematch of the 2024 NCAA South Region Championship, two top-10 teams in Division II will match-up for the first time on the 2024-25 season with first place in the Sunshine State Conference on the line, as the No. 3 Nova Southeastern Sharks host eighth-ranked Florida Southern at the Rick Case Arena on Wednesday evening. Both the Sharks and Moccasins are listed as top four teams in Wayne Cavadi's third Power-10 of the season.  

Last season, in the first of three match-ups between the Sunshine State Conference rivals, Florida Southern snapped Nova Southeastern's NCAA Division II record for consecutive regular season victories (62). However, NSU responded by winning the following two contests, including the South Region Title, by at least 30-points.  

• Head-to-Head Record: Florida Southern leads 34-16 
• Last match-up: Nova Southeastern 98-66 (NCAA South Region Championship) 
• Last 10 match-ups: Nova Southeastern 7-3 

No. 3 Nova Southeastern | 14-1, 6-1 Sunshine State Conference 

No. 3 Nova Southeastern  has continued to set the standard in the Sunshine State Conference and nationally, ranking first in NCAA Division II in scoring offense (109.4), assists-per-game (24.7), assist/turnover ratio (2.33), scoring margin (28), field goal percentage (53.17), steals-per-game (13.3) and turnover margin (+10).  

In the last five games, all five of the starters for the Sharks are averaging double-digit points, as both MJ Iraldi (23.0) and Ryker Cisarik (21.8) are over 20-points-per-game, while Dallas Graziani (13.6), Ross Reeves (13.4), and Tyler Eberhart (12.4) allow the Sharks to lead Division II in scoring. On the season, Graziani has been the key to NSU's efforts on both ends of the floor, ranking second nationally in assists (134) and assists-per-game (9.6), while ranking third in steals (46).  

No. 8 Florida Southern | 15-2, 6-1 Sunshine State Conference 

Winners of 10 consecutive games, the Moccasins return to the Rick Case Arena among the hottest teams in Division II and inside the top 10 of the national rankings for the first time since the 2020-21 season. Florida Southern, the host institution of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic, opened the 2024-25 season with a 91-86 overtime victory against the reigning NCAA Division II national champion, Minnesota State, Mankato.  

Since the calendar flipped to 2025, the Mocs have defeated opponents by an average of 22.6 points. 

Florida Southern is led by one of the nation's top duos, as Jadin Booth (21.1) and Alex Steen (19.3) combine for 40 points-per-game. Steen, is an elite interior player for FSC, ranking second in the Sunshine State Conference in rebounds-per-game (9.9) and is third in the league in field goal percentage (56.3%) trailing only Ryker Cisarik (59.8%) and Tyler Eberhart (56.6%).  

Booth a dynamic, offensive threat for the Mocs is averaging 26 points-per-game in Sunshine State Conference play since the start of the month, including scoring 40 points – shooting 67% from the field – against Lynn on January 4th.  

Be sure to purchase tickets for the top-10 showdown by clicking here. There will be a Men's Basketball Shark County T-Shirt giveaway (NSU Students only) and remember to WHITE OUT the tank. Nova Southeastern Athletics is also hosting HBIA Student Business Night, as well as Community Night with post-game autographs from Shark student-athletes.  

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Men's Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram and X at NSU_MBasketball.