NSU men’s hoops drawing rave reviews on march back to national championship game

Form has held at the NCAA Division II men’s basketball national championships in Evansville, Indiana.

The championship game on Saturday afternoon will between the Nova Southeastern University Sharks (32-2) and the Minnesota State Mavericks (34-2). Tipoff is at 3 p.m. on CBS.

NSU is ranked No. 1 in the nation. The Sharks are also the defending national champions, and they are somehow seeded second in this tournament.

Minnesota State is ranked second in the nation and seeded first.

The Sharks, 98-3 over their past three seasons, are drawing raves from the CBS broadcasters who carried Thursday’s 91-77 nationally-televised win over Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday.

“I would’ve loved to play for (NSU),” CBS broadcaster Chris Walker said. “They may be the only team in the country that presses off of misses as well as makes.

“They press with aggression. It’s amazing what (NSU coach Jim) Crutchfield is doing. I wonder if this could be done on the Division I level.”

Former NBA standout Wally Szczerbiak also praised the Sharks after NSU turned the ball over just four times on Thursday.

“They were plus-15 on turnovers,” Szczerbiak said on the CBS postgame show. “They do a great job of taking care of the ball, and they get extra possessions and extra shots because of their press.”

In fact, the Sharks lead the nation in turnovers forced per game (23.4)

“That’s what we do,” Crutchfield said. “We don’t know another defense.”

The Sharks, who have won 11 straight NCAA Tournament games, also lead the nation in points scored (100.6) and scoring margin (23.0).

NSU does this with impressive depth. In the first few minutes of the win over Cal State San Bernardino, Crutchfield subbed in five new players.

This is nothing new for the Sharks, who can boast of 11 players who average double-figure minutes per game this season.

Leading the way is Shane Hunter, a 6-10, 245-pound center from St. Thomas Aquinas. Hunter, a fifth-year senior, leads NSU in scoring (15.8), rebounds (6.6) and blocks (2.0).

Against Cal State San Bernardino, Hunter had 24 points, seven rebounds, four blocks and two steals in 30 minutes. He also had 12 of NSU’s first 23 points in a game the Sharks led from wire to wire.

Point guard Isaiah Fuller leads NSU in assists (3.4) and foul shooting (84.7). He ranks second in scoring (13.1).

NSU’s best 3-point shooters are reserves Alex Mangold (51.9 percent) and Ryan Walsh (48.5 percent).

Meanwhile, Minnesota State this year reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 2011. This is the first time the Mavericks have ever advanced to the championship game.