Raiders Overmatch #13 Chipola, Extend Winning Streak to Three

NICEVILLE, Fla. — It was another solid night for No. 4 Northwest Florida State men's basketball, as the Raiders controlled the game from start to finish and led by as many as 22 points on their way to an 81–71 win over Chipola.

The victory lifts Northwest Florida to 19-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play, giving the Raiders sole possession of first place in the Panhandle standings following Pensacola's loss to Gulf Coast earlier in the evening.

DJ Shine paced the Raiders once again, pouring in 23 points and continuing his strong return from injury. Shine is now averaging 20.0 points per game over his three games back in the lineup. Jonas Nichols matched him shot-for-shot, posting his second consecutive 20-point performance. The duo combined to go 12-for-18 from beyond the arc, accounting for more than half of Northwest Florida's offensive output.

Braylon Roman filled up the stat sheet with 14 points and nine assists, narrowly missing a double-double, while Justin Burns added 11 points against his former team to round out the Raiders' double-figure scorers.

Northwest Florida came out firing to open the game, as DJ Shine drilled a three-pointer just 18 seconds into the contest to give the Raiders an early lead. The opening minutes were defined by strong offensive rebounding and interior effort, with Johnny Pierce and Christian Reid converting second-chance points to help Northwest Florida build momentum.

After Chipola briefly answered with a tip-in, the Raiders strung together a run fueled by perimeter shooting. Jonas Nichols knocked down a three, followed by back-to-back inside baskets from Reid and Pierce, allowing Northwest Florida to stretch the lead to 10-3. Defensive pressure also played a key role early, as the Raiders forced turnovers and controlled the glass.

Chipola responded midway through the half with increased physicality and offensive rebounding, but Northwest Florida continued to find answers. Braylon Roman orchestrated the offense, scoring inside and assisting on multiple three-pointers, while Nichols and Shine connected from deep to keep the Raiders comfortably in front. A Roman three at the 10:35 mark pushed the lead to double digits.

The Raiders closed the half strong, mixing inside scoring with timely perimeter shooting. Nichols buried another triple late in the half, and Northwest Florida carried a 48-33 advantage into the break after holding Chipola to just 33 points.

Coming out of halftime, Northwest Florida maintained its offensive rhythm. Nichols opened the half with another three-pointer, and Shine followed with a deep shot of his own as the Raiders quickly extended the lead to 54-39. Roman continued to control the tempo, scoring off offensive rebounds and finding teammates for easy baskets.

Chipola attempted to rally behind inside scoring and second-chance opportunities, but each push was met with a response from Northwest Florida. Nichols stayed hot from beyond the arc, and Roman added key buckets in the lane to preserve the cushion.

As the game entered the final stretch, Shine delivered another timely three to push the lead to 67-49. Despite Chipola's continued effort around the rim, Northwest Florida's balance and ball movement proved too much to overcome. Pierce and Burns added late baskets to seal the outcome.

The Raiders will be back at home this Wednesday to take on Tallahassee at 7:30 p.m. The Eagles are the only team to have beaten the Raiders in conference play this season and will be coming off a bye when they take the court Wednesday night.