Raiders Fall to Gulf Coast on the Road

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Northwest Florida State men's basketball suffered its sixth loss of the season on Saturday, falling to Gulf Coast 76-50 and dropping to 3-3 in conference play.

The Raiders struggled offensively, shooting just 30.4% from the field, while the Commodores capitalized on their opportunities, hitting 47.2% of their shots, including seven three-pointers. A slow start put the Raiders in a 12-point deficit by halftime. Offensive rebounding issues and frequent fouls only compounded their struggles, with multiple players finding themselves in early foul trouble.

Despite improving their rebounding and reducing fouls in the second half, the Raiders still couldn't find their offensive rhythm, while the Commodores continued to shoot efficiently. In the end, Northwest Florida State's struggles proved too much to overcome, resulting in their fourth road loss of the season.

Post Game Notes

• Dwayne Pierce led the Raiders in scoring with 20 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 9-of-12 from the free throw line. He was the only Raider to reach double figures.
• Three Commodores scored in double figures, led by Truman Claytor with a game-high 22 points.
• The Raiders were outrebounded 42-35.
• Shooting struggles plagued the team, as they shot just 30.4% from the field, 13.6% from three, and 56.5% from the free throw line.

UP NEXT

The Raiders return next week with two home games, facing Chipola and Tallahassee. They'll first go head-to-head with the Indians at Raider Arena on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., followed by a matchup with the Eagles on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.