Raiders Fall Short Against Chipola, Suffer First Home Loss of the Season

NICEVILLE, Fla. — Despite leading for over 25 minutes, the Raiders were unable to close out Chipola, falling 69-64 for their fourth conference loss and seventh overall this season.

Northwest Florida controlled the game for much of the night, holding a 31-29 advantage at halftime. However, second-half struggles resurfaced as the Raiders surrendered the lead multiple times in the final 20 minutes, including a decisive shift in the last seven minutes when the Indians pulled ahead for good.

Rebounding and foul trouble proved to be key factors. The Raiders dominated the boards early, outrebounding Chipola 19-13 in the first half, including a 6-5 edge on the offensive glass. However, the Indians turned the tide in the second half, finishing with a 41-37 rebounding advantage. Additionally, Chipola frequently found themselves at the free-throw line, earning 10 more attempts than they had in the first half.

Despite shooting identical percentages from the field and making seven more three-pointers than the Indians, the Raiders couldn't capitalize down the stretch. Missed free throws and key shot attempts in the final moments sealed their fate, resulting in their first home loss of the season.

UP NEXT

The team will be back at it Saturday afternoon for a matchup with Tallahassee State beginning at 4:00 p.m. The Raiders are 2-0 against the Eagles this season with wins at home and on the road. Their last meeting came two weeks ago in the state capitol where the Raiders edged out a hard fought 82-79 victory over the Eagles behind Davion Hill's 38-point outburst.