Defense Lifts Northwest Florida Past Polk State, 70-59

TALLAHASSEE — No. 5 Northwest Florida State men's basketball pushed its winning streak to three on Sunday, defeating Polk State 70-59. The victory moves the Raiders to 12-1 overall and 3-0 against Citrus Conference teams, with wins over No. 3 Daytona State, Eastern Florida and Polk State.

Northwest Florida wasn't at its usual offensive pace, finishing with a season-low 37.9 percent shooting from the floor. However, the Raiders more than made up for it on the defensive end. The team held the Eagles to just 33.3 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from long range, while limiting Polk State to only four free throw attempts thanks to just nine committed fouls.

Jonas Nichols paced the Raiders with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Justin Burns delivered another double-double performance with 12 points and 10 boards. Johnny Pierce provided a lift, recording a season-high nine points and four rebounds.

Northwest Florida also controlled the glass, outrebounding Polk State by 10 (40-30), including a 13-10 edge on the offensive boards.

First Half

Northwest Florida set the tone early with a strong defensive presence and quick transition scoring. After several empty trips by both teams to open the game, Justin Burns broke the ice with the first basket. Polk State briefly answered to tie it, but Northwest Florida began to build momentum through points off turnovers and second-chance opportunities. Johnny Pierce attacked the rim repeatedly, scoring at the basket and drawing fouls, while the Raiders' defense forced misses and controlled the glass.

A pair of threes from Hassan Dorman and Christian Reid helped stretch the lead, followed by a layup from Wes Rubin to make it a 11-5 advantage. Polk State tried to respond with perimeter shooting, hitting two early threes to stay within striking distance, but the Raiders countered with balanced scoring. As the half wore on, the Raiders' depth emerged with contributions from Burns, Reid, Roman Braylon and De'Erick Barber, who facilitated multiple scoring plays.

Northwest Florida surged in the final minutes of the first half with an 11–5 run fueled by tough finishes at the rim from Pierce and Burns. A late layup from Burns sent the Raiders to the locker room leading 33-26, capping a half highlighted by defensive stops and fast-break efficiency.

Second Half

The Raiders carried that momentum immediately into the second half. Burns scored on the opening possession, and Northwest Florida quickly pushed the lead into double digits with a 7–0 burst. Nichols connected from deep to make it 40-26, and the Raiders continued to attack the paint while dominating the offensive glass. Though Polk State generated looks, repeated misses at the rim and from three-point range stalled their comeback hopes.

Northwest Florida steadily extended its advantage with a mix of transition layups and timely three-pointers. Roman and Marquez Jeiminson each finished strong at the rim, while Nichols converted inside and outside to keep the Raiders comfortably ahead. Polk State found occasional success with drives from Isaiah McCray and Josh Pitts, but Northwest Florida repeatedly answered with baskets of its own.

By the midpoint of the second half, Northwest Florida had seized full control, turning defense into offense and capitalizing on every scoring opportunity. The Raiders maintained their cushion down the stretch, closing out a complete performance built on rebounding, hustle, and balanced scoring across the roster.

Up Next

Northwest Florida will head down the coastline next weekend to Panama City for another pair of games in the Gulf Coast Classic hosted by the Commodores. The Raiders are set to play No. 12 Jones (Dec. 12) college followed by Southwest Mississippi (Dec.13) before an extended two-week break for the holidays. The team will return to Panama City for a New Years Eve Classic taking on Polk (Dec. 30) once again and Reid State (Dec.31) before closing out their non-conference slate with South Georgia Tech at home on January 3.