FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Joining forces once again with NSU University School, Nova Southeastern is scheduled to host the second annual South Florida Showdown in the Rick Case Arena on Saturday, Jan. 25.

This year's event will expand to an exciting tripleheader, as head coach LeAnn Freeland-Curry and the NSU women's basketball team will tip off the full slate at 2:00 p.m. in a Sunshine State Conference clash with Tampa. The fourth-ranked NSU men's team will then take its shot at the Spartans at 4:00 p.m. before USchool wraps up the action in a matchup against Riverdale, set for 6:00 p.m.

"The basketball programs at both NSU and USchool have experienced recent successes at both the state and national level," said NSU men's head coach Jim Crutchfield. "That is how traditions begin. People are starting to associate basketball and Nova Southeastern together both at the high school and collegiate level. I think it's great that we're able to pair us together in this combined event."

On the women's side, the matchup between the Sharks and Spartans will feature two of the SSC's top players in both Jordan Tully and LaShayla Wright-Ponder of Tampa. Together, the pair ranks 1-2 in the league in points per game at 16.9 and 16.5 ppg, respectively. The Sharks will have an added chip on their shoulder in the season's second meeting with the Spartans following a tough-luck 72-70 defeat at the buzzer back in November. Tampa currently tops the SSC at 7-0 in conference play, while NSU sits in the thick of the jam-packed conference standings.

The nation's No. 4 team will hope to continue its dominance against Tampa under Crutchfield. An 81-77 victory to open SSC action earlier this season extended the Sharks' streak to six games versus the Spartans, as NSU looks to play its way towards a second-straight SSC regular season title. Tampa is paced by point guard Pat Bacon, who ranks second in the SSC with an average of 22.4 points per game. Averaging 21.5 points per game, Mark Matthews, meanwhile, leads the nation's No. 1 scoring offense (106.6 ppg), and at the midway point of the season, appears in line to earn his second consecutive All-America nod.

Despite the loss of Duke signee Vernon Carey, Jr. from a year ago, USchool still remains one of the premiere programs in the state, currently ranked No. 7 in Florida by MaxPreps with a record of 11-4 overall. The Sharks beat Westminster Academy 87-66 in the inaugural South Florida Showdown last winter, and will look to flex their muscles once more against a Riverdale side that currently owns a record of 8-7 on the year.   

All in attendance of the NSU men's game will have a chance to win $10,000 if selected at halftime to participate in the Rick Case half-court shot.

Ticket prices for the tripleheader will be $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors ages 65 and up. Children ages 12 and under, and students with a valid Shark Card will be admitted free.