FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida - Tuesday's matchup between the Embry-Riddle men's basketball team and Nova Southeastern will be the 42nd between the Eagles and Sharks all-time.

But none have come close to having the stakes that this one will have.

The Eagles (24-9) and Sharks (30-0) will battle for the NCAA II South Region championship on Tuesday evening in Rick Case Arena. ERAU will take on the top-ranked Sharks in the Sweet 16 and for the third time this season. The two teams were slated to meet in the opening round of the 2020 NCAA II National Tournament, but the game was never played as the COVID pandemic swept the globe and the tournament was canceled.

The Sharks needed a last-second shot on Sunday night to set up the all-Sunshine State Conference showdown, advancing past Union (Tenn.) 81-80 on Kobe Rodgers' six-footer with 0.5 seconds left. It was the Sharks' closest game of the 2021-22 campaign, and only the sixth game that NSU has won by less than double-digits. The Sharks have been the class of the SSC and NCAA II all year long, and are the last remaining unbeaten team in men's college basketball this season.

The Sharks won both games against the Eagles during the regular season, a 22-point victory right after the holiday break in Fort Lauderdale (93-71), and a 94-85 win in the regular season finale in Daytona Beach. In both those games, the Sharks shot better than 50% from the floor (their season average is 51.1%), while the Eagles were held to below 41% in both games (ERAU averages 46% on the year).

NSU features four double-digit scorers, led by SSC and D2CCA South Region Player of the Year Sekou Sylla and his 22.6 points per game. RJ Sunahara is close behind at 19.7 points per game.

The Eagles have been led all season long by their backcourt of Romeo Crouch, Elijah Jenkins and Malcolm Whitlow. Crouch averages 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Blue and Gold, while Jenkins brings 15.8 points and 3.3 made three-pointers per game. Whitlow is the third Eagle that averages in double-figures at 11.3 points per outing.

The Eagles and Sharks have met twice before in the postseason, each team winning once. Both games came in the Florida Sun Conference tournament back when the two programs were members of the NAIA.

Game time on Tuesday is set for 7 p.m. (ET) and will be available on the Sunshine State Conference Digital Network.