For the first time in program history, Nova Southeastern University’s men’s baseball and basketball teams have reached the top spot in their national rankings at the same time. Both programs are as hot as ever with the national championship in their sights.
Dominant Sharks cap perfect regular season with No. 1 ranking
After 28 straight wins and an unbeaten start, the Nova Southeastern University Sharks are officially the No. 1 ranked team in all of Division-II. The most dominant team in the country is finally given the respect that it deserves.
Coach Jim Crutchfield’s bunch scores with the best of them, scoring 98.2 points per game, second in Division-II, and allowing just 77.1 points per game. Their 21-point scoring margin leads Division-II. Crutchfield’s defensive ideology and playstyle is what has led the Sharks to take their game to the next level. The high-intensity full-court press generates the most forced turnovers per game with 24.23 total. The turnovers lead to easy points and force the team in front of them to play fast. The Sharks ideology is unpopular, so not every team has the experience of playing against the difficult press and trap. When teams come into Rick Case Arena, they’re bound to give the ball away a plethora of times.
Individually speaking, the Sharks have four players that average double figures. Junior wing Sekou Sylla, sophomore forward RJ Sunahara, senior guard Eddie Puisis and senior guard Nick Smith score the ball with ease.
Going into the NCAA tournament, the Sharks check in at No. 1 in the South Region. The No.1 seed gets the privilege of hosting the first three rounds, essentially giving the Sharks homecourt advantage in their most important games of the season.
18-0 start secures top spot for Sharks’ baseball
After an 18-0 start, the Sharks own the top spot in the Division-II baseball rankings. The 2016 National Champions have finally made their way back to their top spot. The well-rounded team is one of the best in the nation.
The Sharks get it done with their bats with the best of them. Their 188 runs, 11.1 per game, are good for seventh best in Division-II. They also own the tenth best batting average in the nation, hitting .342 as a team, which is the best in the Sunshine State Conference.
High-powered, redshirt sophomore, second baseman Duncan Pastore has started the season off with 30 runs batted in, good for No. 5 in Division-II. Junior infielder/outfielder Adam Frank and redshirt junior outfielder Michael Avendano have been some of the hottest hitters in the SSC. Of players that have at least 45 at bats, Frank’s .435 batting average is the second best in the SSC. Avendano’s .419 average ranks No. 8 in the conference.
The Sharks have a three-headed monster of starting pitchers that they deploy on the mound. Senior Jeremy Cook, graduate student Daniel Rivero and sophomore Matt Kavanaugh have each started five games, 15 of 17 possible games, and pitched at least 24 innings for the Sharks. Cook and Rivero both took their talents to Davie as transfers from the University of Miami. Cook owns a 2.45 earned run average and has struck out a team-best 31 batters. Rivero’s 13 allowed hits ranks No. 31 in the country. Kavanaugh’s opposing batters hit just .207 against him.
