NWF Gearing Up for Rematch with Chipola

Game #22

#5 Northwest Florida State (20-2) at #9 Chipola (20-2)

January 31, 2024 | 7:30 PM (CST) | Marianna, Fla.

Links: Live Stream

TIP OFF

Northwest Florida State men's basketball seeks redemption as they hit the road Wednesday night in Marianna, Fla., gearing up for their second encounter with Chipola this season. Just a few weeks ago, the Raiders suffered a narrow three-point defeat (76-73) in overtime against Chipola at Raider Arena.

Since that loss, NWF has rallied, securing three consecutive wins against conference opponents, including notable road victories against Tallahassee and Gulf Coast. With a current record of 20-2, the Raiders have surged back into the NJCAA top five after another successful week in conference play.

Chipola, too, boasts a formidable 20-2 record heading into Wednesday's matchup. Despite a recent setback against unranked Georgia Highlands, the Indians bounced back with a solid 83-72 win over Tallahassee over the weekend. While maintaining the top spot in the Panhandle Conference standings, Chipola slipped in the NJCAA rankings, dropping from fourth to ninth following their loss in Georgia last week.

LAST TIME OUT

Steven DeMeo and the Raiders engineered a comeback victory on the road the other night against Gulf Coast, relying on stellar late-game defense and clutch scoring to secure a thrilling 79-76 win over the Commodores.

The Raiders maintained control for much of the game, but a second-half surge from the Commodores, shooting over 63% from the field and 60% from three, put the Raiders in a hole as Chipola took the lead in the winding stages of the second half. However, the Raiders remained composed and orchestrated a comeback. Jamal Sumlin's crucial defensive play turned into a fastbreak and an "and-one" layup, edging NWF ahead by a point. Further resilient defense in the midcourt sealed the deal as the Raiders clinched a three-point victory.

Sumlin led the charge with 19 points, seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal, closely followed by Tahuan Simpkins with 16 points and solid contributions from Tyrese Elliott off the bench with 15 points.

Beyond shooting percentages, the game was tightly contested, evident in the closely matched stats. Both teams tied in rebounds (31) and steals (5), with Gulf Coast holding a slight edge in assists and turnovers over NWF.

RAIDERS' STATISTICAL LEADERS

PTS/G: Tajuan Simpkins (14.7)

FG%: Jadyn Shider (67.7%)

3FG%: Tajuan Simpkins (39.1%)

REB/G: Jadyn Shider (8.1)

AST/G: Jamal Sumlin (3.2)

STL/G: Tajuan Simpkins (1.8)

BLK/G: Tavion Banks (0.7)

PANHANDLE CONFERENCE STANDINGS

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