Just two teams remain in the 2023-24 DII men's basketball season. Nova Southeastern is looking to win it all for the second-straight year, while Minnesota State is in uncharted territory, looking to make program history with its first-ever title. Here's everything you need to know.
DII men's basketball central:
- Complete schedule and scores from every round
- Programs with the most DII men's basketball championships
- A complete guide to the DII men's basketball championship
The DII men's basketball championship game: Where to watch
Nova Southeastern and Minnesota State will play on Saturday, March 30, from the Ford Center in Evansville, IN. You can watch all the action on CBS at 3 p.m. ET.
Nova Southeastern vs. Minnesota State: By the Numbers
| STAT (PER GAME UNLESS NOTED) | Nova Southeastern | Minnesota State |
|---|---|---|
| Points scored | 100.4 | 84.8 |
| Point allowed | 78.1 | 70.0 |
| Rebounds | 43.4 | 38.8 |
| Assists | 18.9 | 15.1 |
| Steals | 14.2 | 6.7 |
| Turnovers | 13.6 | 9.1 |
| FG percentage, season | .480 | .490 |
| Opponent FG percentage, season | .425 | .414 |
Nova Southeastern is back, once again, the third-straight year the Sharks have reached the DII Men's Elite Eight and the second-straight year they are vying to win it all. The Sharks are riding a 20-game winning streak, and although many of the faces are different from last year, the results have been very similar.
Per usual, Nova Southeastern is a scoring juggernaut, leading DII men's basketball with 100.4 points per game. The Sharks are also first in scoring margin and steals, second in DII in fast break points, third in rebounds and fifth in assists. So, if you're wondering what Minnesota State has to stop to win... it's everything. We know the story. When you play the Sharks, you're going to run and play fast on both sides of the court. If they don't wear you down, you have a chance. Opponents are going to get their shots, but they also can't make any mistakes because there are few better than taking advantage of errors than Nova Southeastern.
Simply put, Minnesota State has been one of the best teams in DII men's basketball from the opening tip. The Mavericks just made their second-ever national semifinals appearance and now head to the program's first national championship game. They extended their winning streak to 15 games with a victory over West Texas A&M that they controlled from whistle to whistle.
The Mavericks can score, albeit not on the Sharks level. Malik Willingham is one of the best players in the division, but he's not a one-man show. The fun story here is the team's second-leading scorer: Kyreese Willingham, Malik's younger brother, who had a monster game against Ferris State in the quarterfinals. Minnesota State can play fast, but they will want to come out and control the tempo quickly and force Nova Southeastern into a half-court game to have a chance. We saw last year, no matter how strong a team is at scoring, Nova Southeastern will outrun you if given the chance.
DII men’s basketball championship game prediction
This is a tough call. If these aren't the top two teams in DII men's basketball, they are both certainly in the top five, so we should see, like last year, a championship game to remember.
Minnesota State is in new territory, but has improved by 17 wins from last year, and that is no fluke. Perhaps they have a tad bit more chemistry together with some veterans in the rotation, but there is no denying the Sharks starting five, which is completely different from last year's title team, has found their rhythm. I think Minnesota State is good enough to keep this close most of the way, but ultimately the Sharks pull away in the end and repeat.
Prediction: Nova Southeastern repeats, 97-86.
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