FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – With the new standard now set in place, reigning Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year
Jim Crutchfield and the Nova Southeastern men's basketball team will set out to prove that its run to the Elite Eight in 2018-19 was no fluke when the 2019-20 season officially tips off on Nov. 13 in a matchup with the College of Staten Island.
As has been the case since Crutchfield took over the program at the start of 2017, the Sharks will play each of their six non-conference, regular season contests at the Rick Case Arena, preceded by an exhibition tune-up against Florida National on Homecoming (Nov. 9).
Overall, Nova Southeastern will host 16 of their 26 regular season ball games, highlighted by visits from NCAA South Region finalist Lynn on Feb. 12 and defending SSC Tournament champion Florida Southern on Feb. 15. The Sharks will begin league play on the road at Tampa on Nov. 23.
"I can sense a much different feel towards NSU basketball from our campus community, the South Florida area and on a national level," said Crutchfield, who has posted a combined 46-14 record in his two seasons with the Sharks. "Whether it's from hitting the national polls for the first time, a Sunshine State Conference title, a South Region Championship, or scoring 100 points per game – most likely all of the above – there is an excitement in the air."
Following a trio of ball games against College of Staten Island, Trevecca Nazarene and Tampa to kick-start the season, Nova Southeastern will close the month of November by welcoming Clayton State to the Rick Case Arena on Nov. 30.
The Sharks will then head to Saint Leo, where they escaped with a 91-89 victory a year ago, on Dec. 7 before beginning a run of five straight contests at home with a visit from Ave Maria on Dec. 11. Among the homestand includes non-conference clashes with Cedarville and defending CACC Tournament champion Domincan College, along with a New Year's Day showdown with Eckerd, who handed Nova Southeastern its first defeat of the year in 2018-19.
Nova Southeastern will jump into the thick of SSC play with tough road challenges at Florida Southern (Jan, 4) and Lynn (Jan. 8), which figure to give Crutchfield a real gauge of his team's potential. From there, the Sharks will play five of their next six SSC contests at home, the lone road trip coming against Barry on Jan. 22.
Crutchfield and company will get their second looks at Rollins and Eckerd in the early portion of February, leading into home bouts with Lynn and Florida Southern on Feb. 12 and Feb. 15. Outside of a home matchup with Barry on Feb. 26, the Sharks will wrap up conference action with three of their final four contests on the road, with the regular-season finale set for Feb. 29 versus Embry-Riddle.
The 2020 SSC Men's Basketball Championship will be played at home sites with the higher seeds hosting each contest. The quarterfinal round will take place on Mar. 3, while the semifinals and final are slated for Mar. 5 and Mar. 8.
Winners of each championship will receive automatic qualification to the 2020 NCAA Division II Championships. Regional competition will tip off at non-predetermined sites on Mar. 13. The NCAA will announce championship selections and seeding on Mar. 8.
For the complete 2019-20 schedule, click
here. To stay up-to-date with the Sharks throughout the season, follow them on Twitter @NSU_MBasketball.
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