Big second half propels to 54-36 road win over Pensacola
NICEVILLE, FL - The Raiders traveled to Pensacola on Saturday to face off with the Pirates for the second time in five days. The first match up resulted in one of the best performances for NWF all season in route to a convincing victory. This go round, however, was anticipated to be much different, especially given the caliber opponent the Raiders were facing. As expected, Northwest Florida ran into heavy resistance on their quest to victory but were able to pull away from the Pirates 54-36 thanks to a stellar second half. The win improves NWF to 21-1 overall and 7-1 in conference play.
There was some confusion earlier in the week on the official start time of this game and judging by the way the game began, it seemed like both teams were still unsure. The first quarter was a complete slog for both teams. Neither team had more than 5 points until the quarter's final minute, with both sides trading baskets leading to a narrow 8-7 edge for Pensacola.
The second period had much better flow to it. Both sides had their moments and itwas largely back and forth until NWF built a slim lead heading into the locker room. The lead, however, was far from secure and the Raiders knew it.
Heading out of the locker room from their halftime break, NWF had a different look to them. The defensive pressure was stifling during the second half. Pensacola had difficulty getting their shots off against the tenacious effort by the Raiders. Offensively, NWF got it done in a variety of ways, attacking the basket, getting to the free throw line with regularity, and making timely 3-point buckets. All of these factors allowed the Raiders to pull away from the Pirates to the tune of an 18-point margin of victory and in the process a spot atop the conference standings after the completion of the second round of Panhandle action.
Last-Tear Poa led the Raiders in scoring with 13 points. Shelbee Brown added 9 points and 9 rebounds while Ines Piper and Noelani Cornfield scored 8 points each.
The Raiders will enjoy their much deserved BYE in the middle of the week and will next be in action on the road at Gulf Coast State College on Saturday, February 5th at 2:00 p.m.
For more information on Northwest Florida State athletics, visit NWFRaiders.com or follow @NWFRaiders on Twitter.