Indians Hand Raiders 45-41 Loss on Saturday
NICEVILLE, Fla. – Northwest Florida State men's basketball experienced their fourth defeat of the season in a hard-fought battle against No. 18 Chipola, falling 45-41 on Saturday.
The game was characterized by staunch defensive play, evident from the low-scoring final result. Both teams struggled to find their offensive rhythm, with fewer than 20 shots made and shooting percentages below 35.0%. The contest saw a total of 71 missed shots, 57 defensive rebounds, 30 turnovers, and 17 steals. Despite leading in total rebounds with 40, the Raiders fell short in other statistical categories.
Tyrese Elliott was the sole Raider to reach double-digit scoring, notching 12 points, with eight coming from free throws. Jamal Sumlin and RaSheed Jones contributed nine points each. Tavion Banks didn't score but excelled on the boards, grabbing 12 rebounds, the highest among all players.
This loss marks the team's fourth at home this season, the second against Chipola. With a season record of 23-4 and a conference record of 6-3, the Raiders remain in contention for a spot in next month's FCSAA State/NJCAA Region 8 Tournament at Raider Arena. They aim to secure more victories as the season enters its final stretch.
FIRST HALF
The Raiders faced a scoring struggle right from the start, managing just one basket in the opening 11 minutes. Chipola capitalized on this slow start, jumping to an early 10-2 lead. However, they couldn't capitalize further as they also faced shooting woes, missing six of their first 11 shots and committing five turnovers during this stretch. Trey Brown finally broke the Raiders' scoring drought with an and-one layup, cutting the deficit to five after converting the free throw. NWF later surged ahead with a three-pointer from Simpkins and a pull-up jumper from Jadyn Shider, claiming a one-point lead.
The teams traded baskets and leads over the next four minutes. Jamal Sumlin extended the Raiders' lead with a three-pointer, putting NWF up by five. This proved to be the final score of the half as the Raiders entered the locker rooms with a 21-16 lead.
SECOND HALF
Chipola began the second half with a 5-0 run, tying the game at 21. The Raiders reclaimed the lead with a 5-0 run of their own, highlighted by made free throws and back-to-back buckets from Jones and Sumlin. Chipola quickly responded with consecutive threes and a layup, knotting the score at 30. After the media timeout, Chipola surged ahead with a layup and free throw, taking a 33-30 lead. They maintained this lead for much of the half, even stretching it to seven points at one stage.
Jones breathed life into the Raiders with an and-one three-point shot, converting the free throw for a four-point play and giving NWF their first lead in nearly ten minutes. However, Chipola regained the lead on the next possession, and the Raiders failed to convert another shot attempt as Chipola clinched the victory at Raider Arena, securing first place in the Panhandle Conference standings.
UP NEXT
The Raiders will hit the road next week for another game at Tallahassee on Wednesday, February 21, beginning at 4:30 PM, before returning home for their final game at Raider Arena on February 28 against Pensacola.
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