Northwest Florida Storms Back Against Eastern Florida, Win 71-62

TALLAHASSEE — No. 5 Northwest Florida State men's basketball delivered yet another second-half comeback, defeating Eastern Florida 71-62 on Saturday to earn their fourth rally victory of the season, bringing them to 11-1 on the season.

The Raiders found themselves in an early hole, trailing by as many as 13 points in the first half as Eastern Florida controlled the pace and scoring. But a momentum swing late in the half, led by frontcourt standouts Justin Burns and Christian Reid, helped cut the deficit before halftime.

That spark carried directly into the second period. Burns helped give the Raiders their first lead early in the half, and Northwest Florida never surrendered it again, keeping the Titans at arm's length the rest of the way.

Burns paced all scorers with a dominant 19-point performance, shooting an efficient 9-for-11 from the floor. Braylon Roman added 16 points and six rebounds, while Jonas Nichols contributed nine points and six boards to round out a balanced effort.

Northwest Florida outshot the Titans overall, finishing 47.2% (25-53) from the field, leaning heavily on their interior play and trips to the free-throw line. The Raiders converted 16 of 25 attempts at the stripe to help secure the win.

First Half

Northwest Florida opened the night with energy and efficiency from behind the arc. Braylon Roman knocked down the first basket of the game with a three, and Justin Burns followed with a layup as the Raiders quickly built a 5–0 lead. Eastern Florida answered with a pair of steals and a three from Djiby Ly to tie the score, but Roman's second long ball helped restart the momentum for Northwest Florida.

The first 10 minutes featured a frantic pace, with both teams trading baskets in transition as turnovers piled up. Eastern Florida began to take control midway through the half, sparked by back-to-back scoring sequences from Sean Register and Tyson Wilson. A three by Register, followed by two layups from Eby Ogoh and Wilson, pushed the Titans ahead 19–12.

Northwest Florida continued to struggle with mistakes during this stretch, committing multiple turnovers which allowed Eastern Florida to build as much as an 11-point lead. The Raiders finally steadied themselves, getting key production at the rim from Roman and Christian Reid, who combined for several late half baskets. Reid added four free throws in the closing minutes, while Justin Burns cut into the deficit with a layup in transition. Despite the surge, Eastern Florida controlled the glass and found second-chance points through Lana Agbelese and Jovi Acevedo-Arroyo, sending the Titans into halftime up 38–33.

Second Half

Eastern Florida scored first to extend its lead to seven, but Northwest Florida came out determined to chip away at the deficit. Burns and Roman went back-to-back at the rim, and when Roman scored again at the 17:12 mark, the Raiders had pulled within two at 41–39.

The Titans struggled to convert early in the half, missing multiple layups and threes while Northwest Florida's defense tightened. The breakthrough came at 14:54 when Burns finished through contact, tied the game at 41, and then buried the free throw to give the Raiders their first lead since the opening minutes.

Momentum fully shifted moments later as De'Erick Barber drained a deep three to make it 45–41. Northwest Florida dominated the tempo from that point, turning stops into transition baskets while Eastern Florida's turnovers mounted. The Raiders continued to attack the paint and control the glass, ultimately holding on down the stretch to secure a hard-fought victory, 63–62.

Up Next

The Raiders will be back in Tallahassee tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. (CST) for another tough Region VIII game against Polk State. Following that, the Raiders will be back the following week for another classic in Panama City, taking on No. 12 Jones (Dec. 12) and Southwest Mississippi (Dec. 13) before a length two-week break for the holidays.