No. 3 Embry-Riddle (20-8, 14-6) vs. No. 6 Nova Southeastern (16-11, 9-11 SSC))
DATE: Tuesday, March 5, 2024
CITY: Daytona Beach, Fla.
SITE: ICI Center
START: 7:30 p.m.
 

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LIVE VIDEO: ERAU GameDay Network
LIVE STATS: ERAU GameDay Network
TWITTER: @ERAUMBasketball

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THE MATCH-UP
Tuesday's Sunshine State Conference quarterfinal match-up features third-seeded Embry-Riddle hosting sixth-seeded Florida Tech. 
 
QUICK HITS
• Embry-Riddle and Florida Tech are meeting for the third time this season and the 21st time overall
• The Eagles are 11-9 all-time versus FIT, and have won three in a row currently
• ERAU redshirt freshman Milan Skoric leads the nation in three-point percentage shooting (53.9%)
• Embry-Riddle won six games in a row to end the regular season to enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed
 
ABOUT EMBRY-RIDDLE
ERAU enters the SSC Tournament for the fourth time in as many years, this time as the No. 3 seed after finishing the regular season strong. Despite a 3-4 start in conference play, the Eagles reeled off an 11-2 conference record down the stretch, including winning six in a row and nine out of the last 10 games. 
 
Four Eagles average more than 11 points per game, led by senior Malcolm Whitlow's 15.9 per contest. Dru Nickson (12.5ppg) is among the league's leaders in assists and minutes played; Michael McCalister (11.4ppg) also averages 5.3 rebounds per game and is second on the squad with 147 boards total; Cameron Shockley-Okeke (11.0ppg) is second on the team in three-point percentage (39.6); Danny Sully averages nearly a double-double with 9.3 points- and 8.6 rebounds-per game.
 
ERAU also boasts the nation's most efficient three-point specialist in Milan Skoric. Skoric set an Embry-Riddle program record with a blistering 53.9-percent from behind the arc (69-of-128). In fact, he leads all of NCAA (Divisions I, II and III) in percentage with minimum 100 attempts taken. The ERAU record, once held by Rob Padgett, has stood since the 1995-96 season, 28 years.
 
As a team, Embry-Riddle has the SSC's third best offense (86.9ppg) and the fifth-rated defense (80.1ppg). 
 
ABOUT FLORIDA TECH
Led by head coach Billy Mims in his 18^th season at the helm, the Panthers have a bevy of options on the scoring end. David McCullough is 12^th in the conference in scoring with 16.1 points per game, while Rashsaan Edwards adds in 14.1 per game. McCullough averages nearly a double-double as he also averages 7.2 rebounds per contest as well. Niall Harris averages 12.3 and 8.0 for the Panthers as well.
 
FIT has a couple of solid wins on the year so far; a 71-68 victory over No. 2 seed Florida Southern on Jan. 6, and an incredible upset of No. 1 team in the nation Nova Southeastern, 90-80, on Jan. 13.
 
THE ERAU-FIT SERIES
Tuesday's game will be the 21^st all-time meeting between the two SSC foes. The Eagles are 11-9 overall vs. FIT, and enter Tuesday having won the last three games, including a 97-94 overtime thriller on Dec. 8, and a 79-71 contest on Feb. 3.