Roman’s Career Night Powers Raiders Past Bishop State, 83–75

HUTCHINSON, Kans. — Behind a career performance from sophomore guard Braylon Roman, Northwest Florida men's basketball advanced to the second round of the NJCAA Tournament with an 83–75 win over Bishop State on Saturday night.

Roman led the way with a career-high 26 points on an efficient 11-of-17 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. He added three rebounds, three assists, and two steals in a complete performance. Jonas Nichols chipped in 12 points and five rebounds, while Justin Burns dominated the glass with a career-best 16 rebounds to go along with 10 points for a double-double.

While Roman carried the offensive load, the Raiders leaned heavily on their defense and effort plays to secure the win. Northwest Florida forced 18 turnovers, including 13 steals, and turned those into 18 points. The Raiders also controlled the boards with 38 rebounds—18 coming on the offensive end—leading to another 18 second-chance points.

Offensively, Northwest Florida found its rhythm late after a sluggish first half. The Raiders shot just 37.8% from the field and 20% from three (2-of-10) in the opening 20 minutes but still took a 33–27 lead into the break thanks to their defensive intensity and work on the glass.

The game opened as a physical, back-and-forth battle before the Raiders began to separate behind second-chance opportunities and transition scoring. Johnny Pierce provided an early spark with multiple tip-ins, and Nichols knocked down a three-pointer to give Northwest Florida an early edge. Roman added to the momentum with a steal and fast-break dunk, helping the Raiders build a cushion.

Bishop State made several runs throughout the first half, fueled by Tramello Carter and Maylon Marte, but Burns' presence inside helped Northwest Florida maintain control heading into halftime.

The Raiders came out strong in the second half, quickly pushing the lead to double digits. Roman stayed aggressive attacking the rim, while Nichols added another three-pointer to extend the advantage. Northwest Florida's defense continued to create opportunities, leading to transition baskets from Christian Reid and Hassan Dorman.

After Bishop State trimmed the deficit to six midway through the half, the Raiders responded with a decisive run. Roman scored on back-to-back drives, and Jeiminson Marquez knocked down a key three to stretch the lead to 57–40. From there, Northwest Florida kept Bishop State at arm's length, answering every push down the stretch.

Free throws from Roman, Marquez, and De'Erick Barber in the final minutes sealed the victory and sent the Raiders into the next round.

Northwest Florida will now face No. 6 seed Vincennes in the second round on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. The Trailblazers enter the matchup with just two losses on the season and spent time ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA poll, setting up a tough test for the Raiders.