NWF Handles Indian Hills with Ease as Raiders Earn Seventh Straight Win
NICEVILLE, Florida – If you haven't heard by now, Northwest Florida State men's basketball is really good. How good? Good enough to beat the No. 7 team in the nation by double-digits (79-63), securing their seventh straight victory of the season and solidifying themselves as one of the elite programs in the nation.
Tavion Banks (21) and Jadyn Shider (20) left their stamp on this game, combining for 41 points and securing 20 total rebounds. Shider recorded his third double-double of the season with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
The team shot an effective 46.3% from the field and 81.3% from the charity stripe – by far their best free-throw shooting night of the season. The Raiders held the Warriors high-powered offense under 70 points and 40.0% shooting for the first time this season. Northwest Florida carried a 30-point lead over the Warriors at one point, as everything seemed to be going their way in this one.
All things considered, the Raiders had one of their best performances as a team tonight against an Indian Hills squad that is ranked No. 7 in the nation coming into this game and carries one of the most dynamic scoring offenses in the country.
This game should serve as a confidence boost for a team that will be playing with a target on their back the rest of the season, as this game should more than cement themselves as the No. 1 team in the country after such a dominant performance.
FIRST HALF
- The Raiders dominated this game from the jump, outscoring the Warriors 14-5 in the first five-minutes of play after NWF knocked down six of their first seven shots.
- Before fans could blink, NWF already carries a double-digit lead over Indian Hills after Karahan Efeoglu knocked down a three from the wing, making the score 17-5 with 14-minutes remaining in the half.
- By the ten-minute mark, the Raiders had already extended their lead to 17 as Indian Hills desperately searched for answers.
- Finally a string of three brought some life back into the Warriors, but Tavion Banks and the Raiders were there to squash any hope of a comeback before halftime as NWF cruised into the break with a 49-23 lead.
SECOND HALF
- NWF started the second half with a made layup by Jadyn Shider and a pair of free-throws put down by Tyrese Elliott, giving the Raiders their largest lead of the game (30).
- Indian Hills started to shoot the ball better in the second half, bringing their deficit back down to 17, but second chance points by the Raiders continued hurt them.
- Tajuan Simpkins drained a second chance three off an Elliott miss from deep, bringing the Raiders lead back to 20 with just over 10 minutes remaining.
- NWF was able to hold on to their sizable lead and secure the win in commanding fashion, giving them win number seven on the year.
UP NEXT
Following a series of six consecutive home games to kick off the season, the Raiders are set to hit the road for the first time this year. Their first away game will take them to Pensacola, where they'll face Coastal Alabama – South on Nov. 20 at 2:00 PM. This marks the beginning of a busy week for the Raiders, who are scheduled to play three games in total. Apart from the Coastal Alabama – South matchup, they'll also take on Trinity Valley on Nov. 21 and Jones College on Nov. 22 as part of the Pensacola Classic.
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